The words we use matter. That was the message at Guilford High School (GHS) as students, parents, teachers, staff, and local politicians joined together on March 5 for the eighth annual End the “R” Word campaign. Students entering the school Tuesday morning were asked to sign a pledge promising not to use the word “retard(ed)”.

End the “R” Word is a national campaign. GHS event organizer Kim Beckett said a high school student with a younger sister with Down syndrome created the campaign 10 years ago. Tired of the language used to describe his sister, he partnered with Special Olympics to create the campaign, which morphed into spread the word to end the word—an effort to eliminate all derogatory language.

“Developing compassion for others is critical for a caring world,” said Beckett. “The End the ‘R’ Word campaign brings awareness of the hurtful effects when using the word ‘retard/ed,’ whether it is targeted directly at an individual with an intellectual disability or not. It brings attention to our community on how their words affect others. We are reminded that a community is only as strong as its weakest link.”

Students at Adams Middle School also launched their own version of the campaign this year. In total, Beckett said 965 people signed the pledge that reads, “I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the word ‘retard(ed)’ from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.”

Students of all abilities signed the pledge as well as local leaders including school officials, State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-98), and State Senator Christine Cohen (D-12).

“I applaud GHS for participating in the End the ‘R’ Word campaign,” said Cohen. “The students at GHS are doing a great service to our community by encouraging their fellow classmates to refrain from using hurtful language and by doing so are cultivating a civil, kind, and inclusive environment.”

Everyone who signed the pledge received a green bracelet with the message “Spread the word, to end the word,” or “The R word hurts. Disable the label.” Scanlon, who was a student at GHS, said he is proud to support this event year after year.

“Every year I’m so inspired to see how far we’ve come at GHS when I attend this event,” he said. “When I was a student there, the ‘R’ word was used constantly. The students who run this campaign are true leaders and I am proud to support them every year.”

The event is now in its eighth year and Beckett said it is important to continue with these events because change takes time.

“Changing a culture does not happen overnight,” she said. “It must be demonstrated and practiced over and over. The overarching ‘Spread the Word to End the Word’ campaign starts with the ‘R’ word, but it will continue until all derogatory labels have been eliminated from our vocabulary. There is no place in society to treat anyone like a second-class citizen, and words can do that. Sometimes all it takes is a gentle reminder or an emotional connection to get yourself back on track to honoring the pledge.”

To learn more about the End the “R” Word campaign, visit www.r-word.org.