The following information was provided by the Montgomery County Down Syndrome Interest Group and the North Penn Special Education Alliance.
The public is invited to the free viewing of "Intelligent Lives," a documentary by award-winning filmmaker Dan Habib, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20 at the Pennbrook Middle School Auditorium.
“Intelligent Lives” stars three pioneering young American adults with intellectual disabilities – Micah, Naieer, and Naomie – who challenge perceptions of intelligence as they navigate high school, college, and the workforce. Academy Award-winning actor and narrator Chris Cooper contextualizes the lives of these central characters through the emotional story of his son Jesse, as the film unpacks the shameful and ongoing track record of intelligence testing in the U.S.
“People with intellectual disabilities are the most segregated of all Americans,” says Habib. “Only 17 percent of students with intellectual disabilities are included in regular education. Just 40 percent will graduate from high school. And of the 6.5 million Americans with intellectual disability, barely 15 percent are employed.”
According to data from the U.S. Census and the 2015 American Community Survey, about 10 percent of Montgomery County’s population lives with an intellectual disability. As of October 2019, there were 20,511 students with disabilities enrolled in Special Education. This population makes up 12.4 percent of the county’s total school enrollment of 165,267 students. Unemployment rates in 2019 for individuals with a disability were 11.7 percent, nearly three times as the rate for individuals without a disability.
“Intelligent Lives” is a catalyst to transform the label of intellectual disability from a life sentence of isolation into a life of possibility for the most systematically segregated people in America.
Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Click here to register and learn more.
The Montgomery County Down Syndrome Interest Group of Pennsylvania (MCDSIG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support individuals with Down syndrome and their families from diagnosis to adulthood through education, advocacy, support, outreach, and social opportunities.
The North Penn Parents Special Education Alliance (NPPSEA) is aimed to connect parents and caregivers of children with learning and/or physical disabilities that have an IEP or 504 plan and receive special education across the North Penn School District.
