Why Teach About Disability and Ableism in K–12 Education?

This chapter discusses persistent problems in schools with regard to the ways in which disability is conceptualized and reviews the concept of ableism. Problematizing the silence around disability in schools and drawing critical attention to the general omission of the topic of disability oppression in social justice education, this chapter explains why there is an urgent need for educators to teach about the topic of disability in schools. It details cultural and institutional forms of ableism, and makes an argument that teachers should create opportunities for K–12 students to engage in meaningful explorations about disability as a valued form of human diversity.