Meet Brent Cools. Yes, he is in fact cool. He played on his junior high football team. He graduated cum laude from Stevenson high school in Sterling Heights, Michigan and was voted MVP of the month on his job that he had held for four years. He enjoys watching wrestling and working out. He runs on the treadmill and lifts weights everyday after work. None of these achievements surprise Brent or his parents, yet they are worth noting given that upon his birth twenty-three years ago, doctors predicted that Brent would not be able to lead a “normal” life and recommended he be reared in an “institution.”
You see, Brent was born with Down Syndrome—a condition that replicates a critical portion of the 21st chromosome in other cells in the body. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down Syndrome.
Today, Down Syndrome is the most common genetic condition with one in every 800 to 1,000 children born with it. And because the mortality rate for individuals with Down Syndrome is decreasing there are more individuals with Down Syndrome in society. Experts project that the number of people with Down syndrome within the population will double in the next 10 years, thereby increasing the amount of interaction Americans will have with individuals with this condition, and increasing the need for greater public education and acceptance.
The truth is, individuals with Down syndrome possess varying degrees of mental retardation, from very mild to severe, and most people with Down syndrome have IQs in the mild to moderate range of mental retardation. Given this fact, inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome in typical classroom settings, community organizations, work forces and social and recreational activities is crucial.
Brent refused to follow the typical course of study for “special education” students. He wanted to be included and he applied himself accordingly. Brent performed in his school’s theatrical productions of Peter Pan and Charlie Brown.
“I didn’t want to be treated differently. I wanted to be with all the kids, Brent states.” In keeping with this mantra, Brent played on the school football team and attended senior prom. Part of Brent’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) was a “circle of friends” that would help him and meet for 20 minutes a week and do other things with him.
His desire to be treated as any other individual his age is understandable. He’s like any other young adult. He works full time and his favorite tv show is “friends” and most recently, the new series, “Commander-In-Chief.” He’s also a big fan of pro wrestling. He even has stock in wrestling and checks his investment online every afternoon.
“The one word Brent always hated hearing was the word, “different.” Brent never perceived himself as being different. And he never accepted that,” states Brent’s father, Harold Cools.
Elaine Yager, Brent’s teacher at Davis Junior High advocated toget Brent into the regular classroom. “Brent was one of my star pupils and he needed to explore opportunities he had not had in the past. We modified the goals and he made it. He was successful. The kids were accepting of him and he was accepting of those kids too. He would not be successful in his job today had it not been for him exploring his independence skills. He does his job. He would not have been able to do that if he had been pigeon-holed into a strict “Down Syndrome” program. Fortunately, I had the luxury of parents who supported me. As parents, you are your child’s number advocate. We as teachers only supplement that.”
On the subject of inclusion, Brent’s mom, Marie couldn’t agree more. “We all have something to offer each other. And that’s something that you can’t learn out of a textbook.” The teachers and other parents learn that these students are just like everyone else,” Brent’s mom says.
Research shows that inclusion is good for all involved. In a nationwide study commissioned by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) the report showed that entire classes benefit from working with a student with Down syndrome and “almost all teachers who responded found inclusion enjoyable, with some [teachers] calling it the single most interesting and rewarding experience of their careers.” (Source: www.NDSS.org)
Inclusion beyond the classroom is important too. Participation in the arts can have a positive impact on cognitive, physical and social development. Involvement in activities such as band, choir or ballet also improves social development, helps foster self-esteem and helps individuals with disabilities make friends with others in the community.
Yet while inclusion is promoted at the secondary school level, college has not been an option to students with Down Syndrome until recently. Now, a number of colleges are experimenting with educational programs for individuals with disabilities, as opposed to just the traditional vocational training.
In addition to inclusion is the need for greater interpersonal relationships. “Loneliness” is typically a problem for individuals with Down Syndrome, whose siblings and peers move out of the house and eventually start their own families.
Programs such as Step Out, Step In, and Step Together, exist to help address the social and recreational needs of teenagers with a variety of physical and developmental abilities. Services such as DateAble Inc., a dating service for young adults with disabilities, exists to help people meet, date and possibly marry. And Best Buddies International Inc., provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to become friends with individuals without disabilities.
Fortunately, young people with Down Syndrome and their parents are fighting for and claiming more inclusion into mainstream society. Kate Barlett, from Arlington Massachusetts, testified before the U.S. Senate on October 20, 2005. She was a varsity swimmer and toured with the choir in high school. She is now earning her associate degree from Middlesex Community College.
Carrie Bergeron earned a teaching-assistant certificate from her local community college. She received her learner's permit to drive and is planning to wed her “prince charming” in July of 2006. Carrie’s fiancé, Sujeet, a musician who plays six different instruments, also has Down Syndrome. He calls Carrie his, “Dream Girl.”
Individuals like Brent, Kate, Carrie and Sujeet, inspire me and serve as role models for my nine month-old son who also has Down Syndrome. I am hopeful that the greater level of inclusion that is taking place will create a better culture of understanding for individuals with Down Syndrome and other types of disabilities in the future.
You see, learning to embrace our differences makes us a richer society. A rich society is more than just a wealthy society, monetarily. A rich society is one which recognizes and is enriched by the inherent value each individual possesses. Brent Cools' mom puts it succinctly, “Brent has taught us more than we could ever have imagined.”
Long-term, Brent would like to take some college courses in film, computers and cooking. Brent has advice for other young people with Down Syndrome: “Hang out with the regular kids…Go to all the events.”
When asked what he wants the world to know about him as well as others with disabilities, Brent says, “I can do anything...if I have a little help.” Perhaps Brent recognizes something the rest of us don’t. We all can do anything. And we all need a little help.
Copyright ©2005 by Anita S. Lane
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