What Is The Reasonable Accommodation?

     I have so many wonderful memories of my dad.  He was a pastor when I was a young child, and later served as the Deputy Director for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  When I was a senior in high school I would walk down to the bus stop every once and awhile to greet my dad and walk home with him.  One day I went to meet dad (it makes me smile to even think about it). He got off the bus with a doll in his arms.  He said, "I bought this for you today.  I wanted you to have an African American doll."  I was 18 at the time, but it sure touched me that he bought it for me.  Dad cared about how I viewed the world and he wanted to make sure that I had a love for all of God's people.

     As we would walk home, we would talk about our day, but on more than one occasion, he would tell me a story about someone that had been discriminated against in the employment arena due to a disability.  He would share a scenario and then turn and ask me, "What would the reasonable accommodation be to give them a job?"  At the time I could never think of a solution, but Dad always had one.  

     Dad was always very discrete, but would share hypothetical situations with me to see if I could come up with a solution.  I remember one story he shared with me, because it left a big impression on me.  He shared a story about a young man that applied for a clerk typist job and was denied an interview because he didn't have any arms.  I couldn't figure out how he could do the job.  Dad said, "All they needed to do was put the typewriter on the floor.  He could type 60 words a minute with his toes!"

     Several years later, after college, I rode the bus downtown with Dad to my job.  We would talk all the way there and all the way back.  He always challenged and broadened my thinking.  I am grateful  those conversations have stayed with me.  Now when I look at my students, I think about what the reasonable accommodation would be for them.  Quite frankly, I am comfortable with the "unreasonable accommodations" as well if they help people get what they need to be successful.

     Have you ever considered that you may have held someone back because you didn't think a little longer to find an accommodation that would work for them?  Have you ever thought about accommodations that have been made for you in order for you to be successful?

     

Dear God, help me to think bigger than the way I do things.  Help me to dream bigger for those around me?  Help me to see my own challenges in a way that can bring glory to you.