Everyday, thousands of people with disabilities are challenged. Not only because of their disability, but because of their peers who discriminate against them. If we learn to include people with disabilities, they will prove to themselves and to others, that they can do everything we can, just in different ways.

There are many statistics that prove that people with disabilities are a popular group to discriminate against. Students with a disability are 2-3 times more likely to be bullied than those without one. (http://facts.randomhistory.com/) This statistic shows that students with a disability are discriminated against more in a school setting, than a regular student. Kids will bully a person with a physical disability, before even knowing them, just because they are challenged. Unfortunately, schools aren't the only place they get discriminated against. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities, is 13.7%. The unemployment rate for people without a disability, is only 8.3%. (http://www.dol.gov/odep/) This means that 6,699,300 people with a disability are unemployed. A lot of these people can work, they just haven't been given the opportunity because the employers discriminate against them.

There are many places people with disabilities get discriminated against, but one place you wouldn't expect is church. That was the case for eight-year-old Kevin Castro. Kevin went to church for his first communion. He was turned away, by his priest, because, “He had the mental capacity of a 6 month-old.” and didn't have “sufficient knowledge of Christ.” Kevin has Cerebral Palsy. There wasn't any other kids turned away that day. His priest didn't give him a chance, because he knew he had cerebral palsy. Cerebral Palsy is a physical illness, it affects your motor skills. That is why people who have Cerebral Palsy struggle with walking, talking, and have bad muscle reflects. Kevin has the mental capacity of any other eight-year-old, and did have sufficient knowledge of Christ, but his priest took a popular stereotype, that all people with physical disabilities are stupid, and turned him away. All Kevin wanted to do that day was feel special, and have his first communion, but he couldn't even do that, because not even his priest can accept people with disabilities.

Even though discrimination against people with disabilities is a big problem for our society, there is a solution, inclusion. A big reason people with diseases, like Cerebral Palsy get discriminated against, is because people think they are different, when they really are not. A popular stereotype for people with Cerebral Palsy is that they are stupid, because they have slurred speech. They have problems with their motor skills, so moving there mouth isn't easy, which causes the slurred speech. If people start to include them, they will learn that they aren't stupid, they just struggle. By including people with Cerebral Palsy (and other disabilities), everyone will get used to being around them, and they will realize all the stereotypes are wrong. If everyone does something as simple as including them in one activity everyday, eventually everyone will be tolerant of them, therefore defeating discrimination against people with disabilities.

In conclusion, people with disabilities are forced to struggle with daily life, because of the people around them who choose to discriminate against them. But, if we learn to include them in simple, everyday activities, this discrimination, will soon disappear.