Jake Frackson – A New Interpretation on “No Child Left Behind”
Every weekend I spend an hour volunteering with a boy who has cerebral palsy. Together we go to the local pool and together we swim. Because he needs the extra support, I spend my hour helping support him so that he can exercise. We always have a great time and that’s because we are both gaining something from our time together.
An hour a week is an insignificant commitment; but over time, its impact builds. Every time I’m with him, I get to experience a new perspective. Rather than being seen as just another able-bodied person, I’m seen as that person helping a disabled person — and even further — having fun while doing it.
Instead of me blending in, and him standing out, a compromise is had. People look at me differently, but they also look at him differently. Even if only by a slight degree, I like to think that when people see us together, they think that we’re similar; or at least, that our differences are not as divisive.
When we talk about ideas like “No Child Left Behind,” this is what comes to mind for me. In my opinion, “No