Is "Mentally Retarded" an offensive term when..

[beech72]

its getting to the point where you cant say shit anymore... i thought mentally retarded was pc, how else are you supposed to describe them?

[jluv]

IMO, it just depends on the context. If you're describing them as having mental retardation in the most literal form of the term, then I wouldn't think it should be taken offensively. It sounds like some people are making way too big of an issue out of it in this case. Ya, it is a little more PC to use the term "mentally handicapped" or "mentally disabled", or "metally challenged", but that is like using "African-American" instead of "black".

That said, people expose their ignorance when they use the term "retard" as an insult or call something "retarded" because it's foolish or absurd.

[Couver]

Still a fan of window licker...

[Treasure Chest]

Retarded is the proper term and "churching it up" does not make their kid less retarded.
definition:
slow or limited in intellectual or emotional development : characterized by mental retardation

Yes and no. 'Mental retardation' is a subtype of intellectual disability, and can also be a symptom present with an overall disorder. Either way, it's in bad taste to put that in a yearbook. I'm not PC gonzo by any means, but they could have phrased it better. These kids get perpetually teased for their mental disabilities. There's no reason to highlight it in the yearbook. No one is going to highlight that the head cheerleader is a dumb slut that fucked half of the football team or that the valedictorian is a Japanese nerd that's still a virgin. They're going to focus on their accomplishments. The same courtesy should be extended to the students in the Special Education department.

[DON SVO]

I really think how some people can go completely apeshit over that phrase is humorous.

I was up at a bowling alley with a Brent (Turd) a few weeks back, and next to us was a team that had several members that were genuinely retarded. They finished and left and Brent made mention of how his bowling lately had been very inconsistent. I said, "yeah, the retarded guy on the other team has a higher average than you and he was way more consistent (which is true)." Some chick on Brent's team got PISSED and jumped my ass for calling the guy retarded. I left it alone, since I wasn't in the mood to cause any BS.

Brent tells me later that this lady was really upset about it. I had to laugh and told Brent, "well, what the fuck else am I supposed to call retarded people? Is she going to jump up a doctor's or a professor at MD school's ass for calling retarded people retarded? Is she going to ask every medical work/dictionary/encyclopedia to change "mental retardation" to something else??"

People these days are stupid little pussies. Plain and simple.

[talisman]

Yes and no. 'Mental retardation' is a subtype of intellectual disability, and can also be a symptom present with an overall disorder. Either way, it's in bad taste to put that in a yearbook. I'm not PC gonzo by any means, but they could have phrased it better. These kids get perpetually teased for their mental disabilities. There's no reason to highlight it in the yearbook. No one is going to highlight that the head cheerleader is a dumb slut that fucked half of the football team or that the valedictorian is a Japanese nerd that's still a virgin. They're going to focus on their accomplishments. The same courtesy should be extended to the students in the Special Education department.

I agree with that much more than just throwing up the PC flag and apologizing. Bad judgement begets bad judgement.

[jluv]

Still a fan of window licker...

You'll probably never understand (or care) how ignorant that makes you sound until you one day have a child or a close loved one who is indeed severely retarded.

[Silverback]

I still don't understand the issue with the word. If to retard something means to slow it down. And to handicap something means to give it a disadvantage.

I'd rather be retarded than handicapped.

[ELVIS]

I still don't understand the issue with the word. If to retard something means to slow it down. And to handicap something means to give it a disadvantage.

I'd rather be retarded than handicapped.

oddly it seems as if your wish has been granted. BOOSH?

god bless.

[Silverback]

oddly it seems as if your wish has been granted. BOOSH?

god bless.

oh now you got jokes!

[mstng86]

Should have been on the front of the yearbook.

[DON SVO]

[Treasure Chest]

I agree with that much more than just throwing up the PC flag and apologizing. Bad judgement begets bad judgement.

The school is probably in full panic mode at this point. Dealing with kids in the special education department, the school is still bound to privacy laws under FERPA, and putting information about the students out there without parental consent can subject the school to a lawsuit.

The proper way to handle the intro would have been to make a blanket writeup that said something to the effect of: The special education department addresses the education and developmental needs of students with a wide range of mental and physical impairments. Students take part in classes such as blah blah blah, where they learn blah blah blah. The students also take part in district wide events such as blah blah blah....

[Baron Von Crowder]

Yes and no. 'Mental retardation' is a subtype of intellectual disability, and can also be a symptom present with an overall disorder. Either way, it's in bad taste to put that in a yearbook. I'm not PC gonzo by any means, but they could have phrased it better. These kids get perpetually teased for their mental disabilities. There's no reason to highlight it in the yearbook. No one is going to highlight that the head cheerleader is a dumb slut that fucked half of the football team or that the valedictorian is a Japanese nerd that's still a virgin. They're going to focus on their accomplishments. The same courtesy should be extended to the students in the Special Education department.

you are fuckin on to something. If I had only known which chicks put out easily and which ones didnt at all, Id have been fuckin set in highschool...

[Couver]

You'll probably never understand (or care) how ignorant that makes you sound until you one day have a child or a close loved one who is indeed severely retarded.

I meant for myself.