According to the 2010 census results, around 19 percent of the U.S. population has a disability. Given that, it’s not surprising that many students also have disabilities here at Severna Park High School. However, that doesn’t always mean able bodied people know all that much about what it’s like to have a disability or how to treat people with disabilities.
In my experience, as a person who is legally blind, I prefer to be treated normally, not like I’m suddenly incapable because sometimes I stumble down the stairs or I sit in the front row.
Junior Victoria Richhart, who has, “a mild form of cerebral palsy which basically, what that means is nothing else is affected but my brain doesn’t communicate with my legs very well,” as she says, agrees with the sentiment.
“I think the main thing is just ask. I don’t like people staring at me, that’s annoying. Just ask me if you have any questions I’m very approachable. It’s really not a big deal. And then I guess also don’t be too helpful. I get it people want to help, but the minute you insist I need help with something that I’m clearly doing fine with, that annoys me,” said Richhart.
So though writing an article about people with disabilities may seem counterintuitive to the idea of treating disabled people like regular human beings the truth is before we get to that point there has to be some understanding first.
“Kids with disabilities tend to feel like people already notice them and they don’t want to be noticed more so they tend to sort of let things pass by them instead of really advocating for what they need,” said Marilyn Magner, IEP facilitator and mother of a disabled child.
In my experience, that’s very accurate. There’s a sort of internalized stigma that seems to come from the tepid treatment of disabled people, to the point that sometimes, if you’re like me, you take a basketball to the face rather than speak up and say flying projectiles really aren’t your thing.
On the dos and don’ts of dealing with disabled people, Richhart says, “I think part of it is not treating me like a quote on quote normal person. That annoys me. Also if that’s the only thing people ever talk to me about I would get annoyed with that.”
The thing people might not understand about having a disability is that it’s not the core of who you are as a person. You don’t wake up thinking about it every morning with a woebegone sigh and it certainly doesn’t affect every aspect of your life.
“[My disability] really doesn’t have much of an effect any more because I’m just so used to it. I’ve never known anything different,” says Richhart.
Magner adds, “The disability does not define [kids with disabilities] it’s more of a everybody has something so it’s more learning how to manage and compensate for it.”
Having a disability isn’t always as negative as the word seems to make it out to be. Once I advocated for myself, I didn’t have to participate in sports, and have my pride crushed by the near certain defeat. And of course there are the endless puns about being blind.
“Well I don’t have to take the stairs ever. I can but I don’t have to and this elevator is not a death trap which is nice. I’m first in line at amusement parks always… and priority boarding on airplanes which is pretty cool,” Richhart says on the surprising perks of having a disability, adding, “It’s not so much of an advantage as it is being more practical. In the end I’m not really gaining anything it’s just making things easier.”
Speaking about living with her daughter’s disability, Magner says, “The best part of it is the wonderful people you come into contact with which you might otherwise not have. You really meet the nicest people. Even out in the community the people who do reach out to you are usually the really awesome ones.”
Richhart, when asked if she would prefer to be without her disability, says, “I don’t really know. With certain aspects yeah it would be easier, I mean I could actually carry stuff up the stairs without having to put it in a backpack and certain scenarios it would be a lot easier if places aren’t as accessible, but I think it would change who I am as a person.”
Being disabled doesn’t mean your life is a cheesy, made for TV movie that ends in B. J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and a bittersweet freeze frame.

“I’ve had to mature a lot faster and really advocate for myself and speak up for myself if I need help for things and I used to get bullied pretty bad so you definitely grow up a lot faster if you have to deal with something like this,” Richhart says, but she adds, “Most of the time it doesn’t really bother me. There are certain days where it’s just like why me, why me, why do I have to deal with this and so sometimes I’ll just listen to music with my dad and chill out.”
So having a disability isn’t the cause of teenage angst any more than Nicolas Cage’s failed acting career or the re-emergence of cicadas every 17 years; that is to say there is little to no angst involved with having disability at all. And it may come as a surprise, but people with disabilities can do most everything able bodied people can. There are even sports people with all types of disabilities can play. Richhart, for example, plays sled hockey, a modified version of hockey that is played, of course, on sleds.
“Yeah most people react kind of weirdly. They’re pretty surprised by it and kind of confused at first. It’s interesting and then when I tell them we won the national championship last year they’re like ‘what’?” Richhart says, and then, “Their faces are pretty funny.”
In the end, having a disability isn’t the defining aspect of a person’s life, though it’s important to keep in mind that there’s a spectrum and many people are affected much more severely by disabilities.
For all the people with disabilities out there, Richhart says this, “Just be yourself. I think just don’t let it define you, but don’t be ashamed of it either. Do what you need to do, make friends, put yourself out there and if people don’t like you that’s their problem.”