The word, when used carelessly, can hurt. When used correctly it means to slow down or to hinder, but used out of context, it can be a scathing insult.
“It makes the word so much more hurtful when someone uses a word that describes the mental status of someone you love as an insult,” said senior Ryan Southwick, who has a sister with special needs.

The word “retard” is often used as an insult to people with disabilities, but a program started by the Special Olympics is seeking to “End the Word.”
On March 2, students across the country pledged to stop using the word in a derogatory manner. The Circle of Friends at the Killough campus wanted to raise awareness about how hurtful the word can be to people with disabilities.

“It’s like how people use the ‘N-word’ or the other words for other races,” freshman Devin Tillis said. “I feel like the ‘R-word’ goes along with that category. It’s just a discrimination word to me.”

In order to stop use of the “R-word,” the Circle of Friends decided to have students pledge to discontinue use of the word.

“Our class kind of used it as a class project,” special programs teacher Catherine Fletcher said. “We wanted something to kind of bring the Circle of Friends members to kind of integrate them with the rest of the school.”

After having three students from the Circle of Friends go to different classes to give a presentation about the “R-word” and the effect it has when it is used, the club made a banner which they then took to the cafeteria and had any student who wanted to pledge, sign.

“We had a lot of success at the lunches,” freshman Ellana Bailey said. “We had to turn some people away because lunch was ending.”

After the signing period ended, the banner had signatures from more than 625 of the 904 students who attend Killough.

“The students have really taken control of this,” Fletcher said. “Other teachers have told me and, I’ve noticed too, in the hallways if a student says it other students will take up for them and be like ‘Hey, don’t say that.’ It’s made a huge impact. We were surprised about the impact that it has made.”

In the future the Circle of Friends wants to expand the “R-word” campaign.

“Next year we’re really going to do something big,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher said that they might be incorporating things such as T-shirts and wristbands as part of the event next year. She also said that she would like to see the program move to the main campus too.
“I think a lot of people would try to put a positive spin on it, versus using it more,” senior Saba Saleem said. “I think it would open people’s eyes. That’s the most important thing, once you are aware of something you can see like, ‘Wow, this is really wrong.’”
With use of the “R-word” diminishing, at least at the Killough campus, the Circle of Friends would like to see another word take its place.
“The only ‘R-word’ we really need to use when talking about the special needs population is respect,” Fletcher said.