Raising the Bar: Disability Rights and Special Olympics at Georgetown
By Max Rosner
Last year, the Hoya reported, “The Vice President for Planning and Facilities Management Robin Morey did not hesitate to assign the university a ‘C’ grade for its history with accessibility because of the university’s challenging terrain.”
As any Georgetown student knows, a C is a failing grade.
Navigating campus for students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities truly is a struggle; many of the junior and senior housing options are not wheelchair friendly. Even Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), a mental health resource, is often criticized for being inaccessible to many students, failing to fulfill the school’s motto of cura personalis.
The issue of disability rights is intrinsically linked with Catholic Social Thought and teaching. Pope Francis has repeatedly called upon the Church to remove the stigma from disability, stating, “The world does not become better because only apparently ‘perfect’—not to mention fake—people live there, but when human solidarity, mutual acceptance and respect increase.” Luckily, Georgetown University has decided to heed the Church’s call to form a more diverse and welcoming community.
Georgetown launched the Disability Studies Initiative in the fall of 2015. This semester alone, there are eight courses across the academic spectrum—from theology to bioethics—giving a spotlight to this issue. Additionally, the Initiative will be hosting a number of events this semester that give a much needed voice to disability rights advocates. One such event occurred last week, when athletes, staff, and parents affiliated with Special Olympics discussed the importance of language and storytelling. Meredith Ficca, a mother of two athletes, stressed the importance of moving from “volunteer” language to that of “partnership” language, a far more inclusive approach that treats people, united by the same goal, as equals. Hopefully the momentum created by the Disability Studies Initiatives will push Georgetown to receive a passing grade and become a more inclusive community for all.
Max Rosner (C'18) is an undergraduate studying government and theology at Georgetown.