Two Drayton Heights Public School educators recently got a lesson on life with limited mobility.
Teacher Andy Speers spent two days, May 11 and 12, in a wheel chair after accepting a challenge from the Clemmer family of Drayton. This is the second year Speers has participated in the challenge.
“After the first day, I was physically exhausted. On Day 2, I really didn’t want to do the challenge but I made the commitment and was going to follow through,” Speers told the Community News.
Speers spoke with students at Drayton Heights about the importance of learning about disabilities, as accidents can happen and someone they know could need to use a wheelchair. Inclusion and acceptance of people with disabilities is a major focus at the school, said Speers.
“I have had great discussions with the students and have heard some amazing comments from them.”
Speers noted Drayton Heights does a good job in accommodating people with disabilities but still has work to do. He faced many of the same challenges he faced last year, but found that he asked for help from fellow teachers and students a lot more.
Teaching physical education was challenging as he was unable to demonstrate track and field events.
“I am happy to do this as an awareness and promotion of the Clemmer family’s cause,” Speers said.
The family will be wheeling 30 kilometres from Gibson Park in Elmira to ABC Park in Drayton on June 20 as part of a fundraiser known as Kate’s Kause. Each member of the family will be on wheels of some sort: wheelchair, bike or skateboard. All proceeds from the Wheel-a-thon go to the family’s charity, Bringing Heaven to Earth, which helps families with children who have special needs afford medical or sporting equipment.
Drayton Heights Principal Jeff Crawford spent two days in a wheelchair on May 13 and 14, after accepting the same challenge as Speers.
Crawford also undertook the challenge last year and asked other staff members to consider experiencing what a person with disabilities dealt with on a daily basis. A wheelchair will be available over the next two weeks for interested staff and students to use.
On Crawford’s first day in the wheelchair he had to remove himself from it for the afternoon to attend to pressing issues that could not be dealt with while using a wheelchair.
“I had the option to leave the chair,” Crawford said. “A person with disabilities does not have that option and would have to deal with the matters at hand in a different way.”
On Day 2, Crawford was fitted with a wheelchair more suited to his body size that was easier to manoeuvre and more stable. He found his office would need major changes if he were to use a wheelchair, as he could not reach his phone, files, photocopier and computer.
“I couldn’t stand for the national anthem, which is important to me. Being at a vulnerable height and position became an emotional issue for me,” Crawford said.
A student at the school who is confined to a wheelchair gave the principal hints on how to deal with barriers at school every day. Over the summer the outdoor tarmac at the school will be extended for easier accessibility. Changes are made to the building each year to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities.
