Category: special needs

Ana Victoria Espino de Santiago Becomes World’s First Lawyer with Down Syndrome

Ana Victoria Espino de Santiago is a 28-year-old woman from Zacatecas, Mexico, who recently graduated from law school at Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas. Upon crossing that stage, she made history as the first female lawyer with Down syndrome. 

Before enrolling in her law program, she had completed high school through an online program. Through this, she was able to avoid societal obstacles that students with Down syndrome or other disabilities face worldwide. 

As a new college student, Espino de Santiago encountered, for the first time, an educational system not built for people like her. They were unprepared to meet her needs. As per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by having an extra copy of chromosome 21. This extra genetic material alters how the brain and body develop, leading to mild or moderate intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, and distinct physical features. People with the condition can live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives.” In the classroom setting, these challenges can manifest as language delays, issues with working memory and executive functioning, and struggles with abstract thinking. Physically, someone with Down syndrome might struggle with fine motor skills, gross motor skills, fatigue, and sensory deficits.

Additionally, it’s common for schools to fall short in their instruction of students with disabilities. Some systemic and environmental barriers include teacher shortages, finite resources, limited peer-to-peer access, limited access to the general curriculum, and prejudiced attitudes or behaviors from peers and school staff. 

Espino de Santiago succeeded in the general education setting with the support of a paraprofessional. 

Outside of academia, Espino de Santiago has always advocated for the rights of people with disabilities through several legislative forums and by sharing her personal story. It was through these efforts that she gained background knowledge on the legal field. 

The young disability rights lawyer gained international fame in several countries post-graduation. Espino de Santiago has now collaborated with foundations in Spain, Peru, and Chile to advance the rights of people with disabilities. She has also received multiple job offers from employers in different countries.

Espino de Santiago aspires to be a legislator and will continue to fight against ableist policies and everyday practices that hinder the quality and quantity of life for people with disabilities. 

“Teachers play a crucial role in creating a more inclusive educational environment. It’s recommended that educators be supportive, listen to their students and offer additional support when needed,” Espino told the newspaper La Jornada de Zacatecas.

Apart from her impressive educational background and her advocacy efforts, she has an exceptional talent for the arts. Espino de Santiago has held several exhibitions showcasing her artwork. Some of her paintings have also been shown at the Congress of the Union in Mexico City, in a collection she titled “Desde mi cielo,” (“From my sky”).

“I Love When Eugenics Is Readily Displayed on YouTube (Not)”

This YouTuber and his wife have stressed me out. But I have a lot of thoughts regarding their situation that I need to just put on this page so they don’t keep spinning around in my head.

I stand for women having full control of the choices in regard to their bodies. And I stand for women having adequate reproductive healthcare in all situations.

I’m also a disabled woman who was born that way. And I’m a special education teacher. And one day, I hope to be a mom.

In case you’re reading this and are confused, a well-known, well-off YouTuber and his wife were trying for a baby, got pregnant and were excited to have this baby. That is, until they went in for genetic testing, and discovered that their baby would be born with Down Syndrome. They terminated the pregnancy.

Down Syndrome is the name given to Trisomy 21. It’s a genetic mutation which is known for the learning challenges associated with it, caused by intellectual impairment. It also causes shorter stature and health concerns in the body.

But man, are the kids born with it, bold, sassy, funny, mischievous, and playful. And as more research is done and the world is made more equitable for disabled people as a whole, they are more and more autonomous, fulfilled, healthy, and joyous. And so it’s heartbreaking to see that they went ahead and terminated a pregnancy they previously desired over an unexpected diagnosis. And for what? I would understand if they made that choice because they didn’t want to welcome a human into the world with that diagnosis in less than desirable circumstances they were a well-off couple who was already established and. I assume, still in love. They were a couple who initially desired this pregnancy.

And I would understand if the mother or baby was in bad health, necessitating the termination of the pregnancy.Down syndrome is compatible with life. I mean that in more ways than one. Adults with Down syndrome can and do live fulfilling and autonomous lives. Surprise, surprise. Adults with Down syndrome all have different personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and dreams. Just like adults without Down syndrome. They receive education and job training. They hold down jobs meaningful to them and make contributions to their communities. They can live on their own, with family, or with roommates. Some choose to cultivate romantic relationships. Some become parents. These are all things that so-called normal people also do.

Do they suffer? I’m sure. I’m personally limited to only seeing children with intellectual disabilities suffer. Specifically, when I ask them to complete math problems or generalize new learning strategies.

I’m sure they have all kinds of struggles. As do the adults.

I can attest to having unpleasant moments thanks to my own disabilities. I would not, however, attest to having a horrible or painful life because of them.

We live in a different world now. A Down syndrome diagnosis doesn’t mean what it used to mean.

I’ve seen so many takes recently on the internet since their announcement. I don’t know if I can unpack them all here.

One social media user stated that this is not the economy to raise a disabled child in. Well, from my understanding, this couple in question has a net worth of over a million dollars. In any case, if you’re trying to get pregnant, which they were, that means you can afford a child. I would hope, anyway. And I hear people now. But, what about the medical costs associated with having a baby with a disability? Well, if you don’t have the money to take care of the needs for a baby with Down syndrome, than you probably also don’t have the financial means to take care of a “healthy” baby who, during or post-birth, develops a complication, infection, cancer, injury, developmental delays or mental illness. So then don’t have a baby at all. You don’t have your money up yet. Nor the resources available to you that would help the low-income parents of disabled children. Nor the crowdfunding resources people use. Nor the creativity or problem-solving skills required. And also, this implies that the world was made for disabled people. It was not. And so therefore, there will never be a general economy to raise a disabled child in.

Oh, Down syndrome comes with health issues, obstacles, and suffering. Yes, and? Life, which is what children and adults with Down syndrome or other disabilities are full of, is constant obstacles, innate suffering, moments of joy, and the occasional health issue. Don’t have a baby at all, then, if that’s hard to accept. Any child you bring into the world is going to suffer/feel some type of pain, get injured/get sick sometimes. Life can be painful but also beautiful for everyone.

You might have a kid with a diagnosis you didn’t expect or want. They may go through bad things in school or, when they get older, at their jobs. But that’s also true for the poor, for LGBTQ folks, Black people, Latinos, Asians…etc. What are you, or I, going to do as people who want kids one day? Keep aborting any and all of them?

A final thought before I wrap this post up. Supposedly, the YouTuber in question responded to some comments by saying he’s glad his parents didn’t abort him “but he’s normal.” Um? Screw you. Shut up. I will not be elaborating any further. Thank you for reading, if you managed to get this far.

A Brief History on the Eugenics Movement

Eugenics, initiated by Sir Francis Galton and influenced by Darwin’s theories, is a discredited pseudoscience promoting racial superiority and discrimination based on genetics. This ideology led to forced sterilizations and shaped Nazi beliefs. Despite declining in popularity due to flawed research, remnants persist in scientific discourse, raising ongoing societal concerns.

6/8/26

Eugenics is a largely discredited pseudoscience and social philosophy. Its movement has encouraged policies where people with better genetics benefit in society and people with worse genetics are punished.

Inspired by the American eugenicist movement, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party went for disabled people before he went for Jewish people. But eugenics officially began with Charles Darwin’s half-cousin, Sir Francis Galton. In case you’re in need of a refresher, Charles Darwin was a biologist and a geologist credited for his contributions to evolutionary science. He developed the theory that all species of life have descended from common ancestors and that different populations will adapt to their environments. The well-known phrase, “survival of the fittest,” is attributed to Darwinist evolutionary science. Unfortunately, it’s widely misunderstood and misused. Survival of the fittest does not mean that the strongest animal will survive out of the group. It means that the animal with the best traits for its environment will most likely survive in that given environment.

Now, back to Sir Francis Galton. He coined the word “eugenics,” which comes from Greek and means something along the lines of “good in birth.” To me, it just sounds and looks like it’s spelling “good genes.”

Galton was a proponent of controlling human evolution and development. He also believed abstract human traits such as intelligence was a result of heredity. He claimed only the “higher races” of people could be successful.

When the first groups of the eugenics movement began to form, a German biologist named Alfred Ploetz, coined the term “racial hygiene.” He proceeded to publish a book emphasizing the racial superiority of Nordic and “Aryan” people. This concept significantly influenced Nazi beliefs.

In the early 1900s, a loud, racist man named Charles Davenport asked the American Breeders Association to study eugenics. This organization had been committed to researching plant and animal breeding, alongside studying and promoting genetics.

By 1910, Michigan and Pennsylvania tried and failed to pass sterilization laws but Indiana had succeeded. Under this law, people with intellectual disabilities as well as certain criminals were forced to become infertile. In addition, any woman deemed “feebleminded” or “promiscuous” could also be sterilized. Around this time period, state officials believed that crime and poverty were caused by poor genetics.

Notable people of this time period were in support of this movement such as John Harvey Kellog and Alexander Graham Bell. In fact, Kellog (known for the cereal) and philanthropist Mary Williamson Harriman, funded Davenport’s research. Questionnaires were created for American families and fieldworkers were trained to compile data on traits like “feeblemindedness,” “criminality”, and “alcoholism.”

Eugenics started losing popularity in the 1930’s when many of its previous supporters vocalized how research was based on flawed experimental methods. Their application of knowledge was simplistic and their research was tainted by racist and classist biases. Proponents of eugenics tried to use their scientific knowledge to control immigrant populations. During this time period, European immigrants in America were seen as inferior to Nordic populations. They explained that non-Nordic European immigrants were prone to higher rates of criminality and other problems for genetic reasons. But eventually, more people were outspoken about the fact that non-Nordic Europeans were not any more likely to be criminals than Nordic Europeans. By this point, 30 states had already passed sterilization laws. Some of these laws were still in effect up until the 1980’s.

And then the 1990’s saw a resurgence of eugenics beliefs. Richard Hernstein and Charles Murray, along with James Watson, the former director of the NCHGR, have spouted ideology declaring that black people and Europeans are genetically predisposed to having lower IQ scores. And that these lower IQ scores led to criminality. Richard Hernstein and Charles Murray even co-authored their beliefs in a book titled “The Bell Curve.”

Eugenics, to this day, remains a problem in the scientific community and in society at large.

I Should Have Made Your T-Chart For You, Kids

The author reflects on their dismissal from a teaching position, expressing frustration over their teaching methods being deemed ineffective despite efforts to support students with disabilities. They criticize the school’s focus on standardized test scores for funding instead of valuing personalized instruction, feeling their removal undermines student stability and growth.

March 23, 2026

You have a heart for kids. There’s a place for you in education. You’re so positive.

That’s what they said to me during my firing. And also that they knew I tried my best, that I was trying to learn and improve, blah blah blah. I did not get renewal and I was also dismissed the same day. They said they knew I wasn’t harming them. But the way they let me go sure made me feel like I had been. 

My instruction is ineffective because I make the kids start their assignments from scratch even though they have learning disabilities and attention or hyperactivity issues. Even though I provide them with nonfiction summary graphic organizers for the organization of their ideas. Even though I provide them with slides upon slides of notes that they need. So all they have to do is copy them down. And I’ll highlight the most important texts for those that take too long to handwrite or decide which details are key. Even though they do “notice and wonders” and use sentence builders. Even though I provide videos and replay them. Even though they get to draw their ideas and work together to make visual models. Even though I send home copies of notes upon request. Even though they get opportunities to, and do, discuss with each other the content we’re learning together. Were learning together. Not anymore. But admin comes in a few times a year, almost sporadically, and then decides they haven’t seen enough. Even though they actually were learning and growing.

The problem now with them is that the students in the special education classroom are not testing high enough on the state tests. The kids don’t test high enough on those tests, then the school doesn’t get funding. The school lost ranking from years prior, from instructors and children prior to my arrival. But I’m brand new to the field. So, I have to go. Even though I don’t even teach the children the subjects in which they test poorly. 

Firing me two months before the school year ends is what’s best for the disabled kids. Not letting me say goodbye is best for them. Removing their adult representation of who they are and what they struggle with, what they can achieve, is what’s best for the kids. Removing stability is what’s best for the kids. Having them grieve at a random point of the year is what’s best for the kids. All because I didn’t print them a ready-made T-chart so they could put their notices and wonders in. All because I gave them more content. 

I should have cut their workload in half. That was going to be how they scored higher on their state exams so we could keep our funding. But I didn’t do that. I made them make their “T’s” from scratch. My bad, kids.

On Being an Educator, Post-COVID

The educator expresses the complexities of teaching adolescents, especially post-COVID, feeling both love and frustration towards her students. As a disabled Latina educator, she questions her place within a flawed system and grapples with the decision to leave her role, fearing her absence may deprive her students of needed representation and support.

How would I describe being an educator for adolescents and preteens? Near impossible, soul-sucking, liberating, and sickeningly sweet. Especially with it being post-covid and I love my nonbiological kids (the scholars) so much. I would die for any student in my class, literally.  But it’s so hard to teach. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Teachers are nurturers. And as nurturers, they are overworked and underrewarded. 

You get so invested trying to ensure your littles become kind, happy, well-rounded adults. It’s so hard to not feel like mistakes are personal failures. Like you’re a failure. You can, at times, take things personally. 

But at the same time, I have questions about the whole system. And if I were to ask them aloud, I wonder if people would accuse me of skirting personal responsibility? 

Can I, a disabled woman, really succeed in a field that was built for white able-bodied Americans? I mean, the system was built with the idea it can maintain white supremacy. And I’m a disabled Latina immigrant educator. Not that I’m saying me being Latina gets in the way of anything, though. 

Anyway, as the summer approaches and my third year in education comes to an end, it’s looking highly likely that I’ll be stepping away. It’s a bittersweet, terrifying, and exciting departure from what I had previously envisioned for myself. I feel bad for the kids though. Did I mention my students are also disabled? I feel like by having to step away, I’m failing them. I’m them from the future. Representation matters. If I can’t do it, can they? And of course I know they can, but they need someone around who knows that and stands in that truth. What does that mean if I can’t represent them anymore?