Ordeal of Jailed Retarded Youth

The articles regarding the missing developmentally disabled youth, Eric Schimmel, dramatically illustrate that the major barrier a person with disability faces daily is not his disability, but the lack of understanding and acceptance of his disability by others.

In the United States alone there are 43 million disabled people and many non-disabled Americans will at some time in their life experience a temporary disability. However, attitudes toward the disabled continue to be based upon misinformation and ignorance. For example, many people do not know that a person with one major disability such as mental retardation often has other areas of functioning that are also affected. These areas can include important functions that the non-disabled take for granted such as speech and emotional and physical control. To further complicate matters, these disabilities can vary in degree from mild to severe.

As a nation, we need to make an effort to learn more about a much misunderstood and neglected segment of our population -- the disabled. And most important, all public service workers should be required to be informed and knowledgeable about people with disabilities.

CARON NUNEZ, President, Lincoln Training Center, South El Monte