Mayor, SSMS students spread the word to end the ‘R’ word

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Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray hosted nearly 20 South Side Middle School students with intellectual disabilities at Village Hall on March 23 and proclaimed the date to be “Spread the Word to End the Word” day in the village.

The purpose for the assembly was to make people aware of the hurtfulness that comes with the word “retard,” even when it is uttered in casual conversation or in jest.

All of the children in attendance participate in the school’s Best Buddies program. Best Buddies is an organization that dedicates itself to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of people with intellectual disabilities. 

“In our building as a whole, we’re always trying to promote kindness, acceptance, awareness of differences,” said middle school special education teacher Allison Wallace. “So this is a great opportunity to show the kids that it’s a movement not just in our building, but worldwide.”

The mayor began the morning by reading the proclamation that he presented to the middle school. Afterwards, he answered questions from the students about his job.

“It means a lot because it really means our town is on board,” said Wallace. “It’s not just what we’re doing in the classroom, there’s a carry-over into the community that these students are a part of.”

South Side Middle School has contributed to the movement by displaying posters with the letter R being slashed out. Wallace has also recalled instances where students corrected their classmates in a constructive way when the word is spoken.