Recognizing Discriminatory Behavior

You will know it is discrimination when:

* You bring your child into a public facility like a mall, restaurant or park and you sense people staring or whispering.
* People stop you and ask cold, cutting and insensitive questions about your child.
* Public or private buildings lack appropriate ramps, access points and other physical supports for people with handicaps and disabilities.
* You want to talk to someone about your feelings, worries and concerns and everyone either ignores, avoids or reassures you that everything will be OK.
* Your friends and relatives begin to avoid you and your child.
* There are major cuts at the federal, state and local levels in funding educational, medical, social and rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities.
* Parents in the neighborhood do not allow their children to associate with your children for fear that they will ''catch'' the disability.