In Canada , the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights of individuals by enshrining those rights , and certain limits on them , in the highest law of the land . The Charter protects against discrimination , including disability hate speech .
Internationally , the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ( UNCRPD ), of which Canada is a primary signatory , aims to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities without discrimination and on an equal basis with others . Parties to the UNCPRD are required to promote and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights for people with disabilities , including full equality under the law .
Terminology about any community must reflect their autonomy , preference and ideals .
The disabled community has been subjected not only to paternalism but also eugenics . Policymakers across society have ignored their inherent expertise .
Systemic ableism in schools In a recent study involving adults with disabilities reflecting on their experiences in kindergarten to Grade 12 education in the United States , researcher Carlyn O . Mueller found schools continue to lag behind in terms of :
• a lack of disability representation in K-12 curriculum
• a lack of disability community in K-12 schools
• a lack of school staff with disabilities .
These findings remain consistent today with what I have observed about systemic ableism in Canadian schools and in current research in the field of inclusive education and disability studies .
Kindergarten to Grade 12 schooling is often stigmatizing for students with disabilities . Ableist slurs continue , and segregationist practices abound while disability representation in staff , programming and curriculum remains limited at best .
A community The disability community is the largest diversity-equity group
Accessibilty for All 17