Mindy Belz at World Magazine highlighted a great story from the Dallas metro area. 18-year-old Kristin Pass was crowned homecoming queen to the shouts and joys of a surprised crowd. Kristin has Down syndrome. Many in the stadium, at the school, and in the blogosphere are questioning her win. Is it prank, political correctness, or a young woman overcoming obstacles?
When I first read the summary on the blog, I flashed back to my high school experience when a mentally-challenged student was promoted through the football support ranks to “senior manager” or some title of that ilk. All of the whispers and snickers in the lunch room and locker room told me that the promotion wasn’t genuine, but more akin to “vote for the worst” on American Idol or the mean trick played in the movie “Never Been Kissed.”
Reading the article and the array of quotes gives me hope that Kristin Pass is more like my friend with cerebral palsy or Chris Burke from the TV show “Life Goes On.” Both my friend and Burke have that amazing quality of helping everyone around them feel like the sun shines brighter and that there is more hope in the world. Their physical and other challenges pale in the light of their overwhelming personality and zest for life.
As the parent of a special needs child, I sometimes wonder how my little one will be treated someday. Will people see her firecracker spirit and sense of humor? Or will they hear slight imperfections in her spoken words or concentrate on her fading surgical scars?
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