The long road to understanding
CRANBERRY TWP — Acceptance starts with awareness, and awareness starts with education.
That was Officer Scott Bailey's message at the Abilities Expo hosted by the Cranberry Area Diversity Network's Special Needs Coalition Wednesday evening at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center.
Bailey, a police officer with Robert Morris University and the Aspinwall Police Department, was among speakers and 25 community groups from around the region who were brought together to educate people about the special needs community.
At panel discussions, four people with special needs shared their experiences, their challenges and things they want people to know about them.
Kelcie Gilbert, a high school senior who has autism, said she wishes people realized that sometimes she doesn't understand social cues and needs more personal space than others. Not everyone has a visible disability, she said, so people should be more understanding of those who have different needs.
Tammy Rose, who moderated the panel, said it's important to have people with special needs and with disabilities share their stories. It helps people understand what it is like and be more compassionate, she said. Rose has five daughters, two with special needs.
“I'm just happy we're educating the public,” she said.
Bailey said children with special needs are at increased risk of being bullied in school. Bailey has two sons who have autism and worked with Allegheny County to create a video that educates law enforcement officers on how to better handle people with autism and intellectual disabilities.
Bailey said school districts should have training for faculty and staff on how to deal with children with special needs. It's important for the public and parents to know what they should be looking for with their children and how they should advocate for their children, he said.
“I want to keep everyone safe,” Bailey said.Jon Kolb, a former Steelers offensive lineman; Dan McCoy, Paralympic sled hockey gold medalist; and Joe Grushecky, Pittsburgh musician and special education teacher, also spoke.While Grushecky may be well-known for his musical accomplishments, during the day he's a special-education teacher in the Sto-Rox School District. He began working with people with special needs when they were still housed in state institutions, he said.He came back to the field later in life as a special-education teacher, where he has seen advances made in both the treatment of people with disabilities and the push for more public education and awareness.“I think there's been major, major gains in public awareness,” he said. “There's not as much stigmatization.”
