Monday night, the meeting room at the Williamson County Administrative Building filled well before the official start time of the Williamson County Schools Board of Education meeting, which began at 6:30 pm. Several WCS parents, educators, students, and community members gathered to speak on behalf of the special needs community.
Citizens, including members of The Arc Williamson County, organized a public response after District 12 school board member Susan Curlee posted a tweet which made use of the word ‘retarded’ in a definition taken from Urban Dictionary, a self-declared parody site which features user-submitted definitions for slang terms. The term ‘retard’ and related words are considered slurs against those with mental disabilities. The word was replaced in federal education, health and labor statutes in 2010. Curlee issued a public apology at Monday’s meeting:
“I am so sorry that a word contained in a definition tweeted offended members of our special needs community. That was never the intent and I am so sorry, and I hope that you will accept my apology.”
Following Curlee’s apology, members of the community commented publicly to address the tweet and its use of the word. Donna Isabell spoke on behalf of The Arc Williamson County. She thanked Curlee for her apology and explained the history of the word ‘retardation’ as a former clinical term which evolved into hate speech. “People with intellectual disabilities are offended by the use of the word. It hurts them, their families, and all who are connected to them.”
Parents and educators also spoke against use of the ‘r-word.’ Many supported an official social media policy for school board members, as well as sensitivity training and better internal communication between board members moving forward.
Many have also urged deletion of the tweet, which remains publicly visible on Curlee’s Twitter account.
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