ABSECON – Eighth-grade students at the
The R-word Developmental Disabilities Project was kicked off Thursday, Jan. 26 when representatives of the Arc of Atlantic County spent three hours with students here.
“The project promotes tolerance and acceptance through experience,” teacher Barbara Horner said. “Students will work with members of the state and county advocacy group for the Arc to eradicate the use of the R-word in everyday speech.”
From 1953-1992 the ARC in the national organization’s name stood Association for Retarded Children or Citizens.
In 1992, responding to complaints from its own constituents and complying with what was becoming national usage, the organization stopped using the word retarded and changed its name to the Arc, with no acronym implied.
“The students are going to research developmental and physical disabilities, meet with speakers, write and produce a public service announcement, and ultimately take the official pledge,” Horner said. “The R-word pledge is a national campaign to spread the word to end the use of the R-word.”
According to the Arc of the
“We, as an organization have been sensitive to the impact of terminology on our constituency and have adapted accordingly,” the site says. “As the words ‘retardation’ and ‘retarded’ became pejorative, derogatory and demeaning in usage, the organization changed its name to the Arc.
“Today, the term ‘mental retardation’ remains the terminology used in the medical field and referenced in many state and federal laws,” the Arc continues. “However, ‘intellectual disability’ and ‘developmental disability’ are making their presence known, and we are doing everything in our power to make sure they're adopted more broadly.
“We strongly believe the only R-word that should be used when referring to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is respect.”
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