I accompanied my disabled son to his Night To Shine prom (Tim Tebow Foundation)
Last edited Sun Feb 12, 2017, 08:25 PM - Edit history (1)
on Friday along with tens of thousands of other disabled students, young adults, and parents and guardians across the US and even internationally. The proms are coordinated by various churches through the Tim Tebow Foundation. I know many here don't like him, or his quarterbacking, sports commenting, or how he expresses his religious beliefs publicly. That's fine, because people being overtly religious in front of strangers outside of church bugs me too. But I liked him as a sports commentator. From his foundation, it is apparent to me that TT loves kids, and has a very kind heart and soft spot for the disabled. I see sincerity.
A prom for these kids may not seem like a big deal, but it is. It requires volunteers in numbers 2-3 times the number of special needs people. Communities chip in money, food, limo services (from parking lot to red carpet), photographers, music, formal wear, monitors, and buddies. It's important that neurotypical peers participate to maintain that bridge of social connectivity, understanding, and acceptance as they grow older. They are together in public schools already, which helps significantly, not just for the disabled child, but for their peers to learn about disability. These are the kids that won't buy into trump's nazi propaganda about the disabled being disposable. The focus of the proms is valuing these people as equals and worthy. As a parent, it's wonderful to see them having a normal rite of passage experience.
Anyway, I considered writing "I bought myself a Cabinet position" Sec. DeVos to invite her to attend a prom near her next year. I hope she'll see the benefits in all of these children growing up together in public schools, since she never had to face disabled children in her or her kids' private schools. I'm hoping that if she's as big a Christian as she proports herself to be, maybe the experience will grow her shriveled republican heart.
Did anyone else do Night To Shine?
I forgot to mention this: I'm in a red area, but I never met so many anti-DeVos people.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I am an atheist but I acknowledge good where I see. People just want to be treated as equals.
Pssssssssssst! I still don't like TT 
Thanks for sharing!
We all have friends who we relate with more easily because of shared problems, sorrows or even joys (I struggle with weight as a problem, and belong to a group of theater enthusiasts as a joy). Human nature to buddy up with someone who can understand.
I bet the smiles and laughter were worth all the hard work. (Can you share a pic or two, or prob not without permission?)
