When students on Fox’s “Glee” graduated this season, many considered college. Now a Twitter campaign is calling on the show’s writers to make the same plan for a character with Down syndrome.
Using the hashtag #College4Becky, a social media push launching this week is encouraging the “Glee” writers to send Becky Jackson to college at the end of the show’s next season. Though the character is believed to be a rising high school senior, little has been said about her future.
“All of Becky’s friends on the show are heading off to college next year. That’s something she can do too — but we haven’t yet heard what her plans are after graduation,” reads an open letter to the writers of “Glee” from the campaign’s organizers at Think College, a national clearinghouse on college options for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities that’s housed at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
“If you make college plans for Becky, you’ll be raising the expectations of all your viewers with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities,” the letter reads.
Currently, Think College’s database lists 199 postsecondary programs at colleges and universities across the country specifically for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Nonetheless, awareness of college options for this population often remains limited.
“We want to plant a seed,” said Meg Grigal, the co-director of the group behind the campaign. “College is a real option for people with intellectual disabilities.”
Lauren Potter, 22, the actress with Down syndrome who plays Becky Jackson on “Glee,” attends Irvine Valley College in Irvine, Calif. in real life.
“I know she will love the idea (of Becky going to college) because she loves the idea that she is in college,” Potter’s mother, Robin Sinkhorn, told Disability Scoop, adding that she had not yet had an opportunity to discuss the campaign with her daughter who was traveling Monday. “It would be a great storyline.”
Potter’s character has long been a fan favorite in the disability community and the actress has not shied away from taking a stand. She’s used her platform as a “Glee” cast member to raise awareness about bullying of people with disabilities among other issues and currently serves as a member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.
Officials at Fox did not respond to a request for comment about the Twitter campaign.
“Glee” returns Sept. 13 on Fox.
Correction: This article has been corrected to reflect the fact that not all characters on “Glee” indicated plans to attend college.
I find it interesting that in an article about independence, the person in question wasn’t interviewed – just her mother. Why not wait and speak to Lauren directly since she’s an independent adult?
Also, before anyone gets too upset at the writers of Glee, it’s important to note that Becky’s age/grade on the show has never been established. She could easily be a senior with another season of the show to go. She has been shown interacting with characters from various grades. Not all the kids from Glee graduated this season – about half are staying. And there are some characters who did graduate who are not attending college.
Good points MomtoOne. Why interview the parent and not the adult for this article? Additionally, most state s offer a “super senior” or additional years for transition for students with disabilities. In my state of Illinois a student with a disability may qualify to continue preparing for adult life at his/her high school until age 22. This is an option for a student who may or may not enter higher education.
Agree with the others. What is her plans for life after high school? I think automatically assuming that she should go to college is wrong. Perhaps she will stay in high school, perhaps she will go to vocational training, perhspas she will get a job coach, perhaps she will go to college. Most people with Down syndrome are not college bound.
As a person who has worked for 12 years with high school students with many levels of disabilities, I would suggest that Think College and the writers and producers of “Glee” proceed with caution. There is a broad range of ability (and disability) in the intellectually and developmentally disabled community. While I’m happy to see positive role models, it is important that “Glee” viewers and their parents realize that while that might be the right choice for the character of Becky (and the actress portraying her) it is not the right choice for all students, disabled or not. There are many parents who do not comprehend (and/or accept) their child’s limitations and may not understand that attending college level classes is not right for their child. As a result, the child is forced onto a “college track” and they end up missing out on the functional classes that will help them have happy successful adult lives. I’ve seen students so stressed from being forced into classes that they cannot comprehend that they begin to have negative behaviors or melt down with anxiety.
Just as college is not the right place for all regular education students, it is not for all special ed students either.
There are many junior and two year colleges that work with special needs students. Many of them accept students with a special education HS. That would be a better alternative than a four year college. It is realistic alternative and still shows high expectations.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments! We totally agree that post-high school plans are different for every student. A lot of students with intellectual disabilities want to exit high school when their peers do, and college is a great place for them to continue learning. Both two-year and four-year colleges across the country are including these students, making sure they get mentoring and other services. So we just want to make sure that Becky (& the writers on Glee) have college in mind as an option for her.
I have a little boy with downs
Becky appears in the show to be bright and more than capable of attending post high school education, therefore I vote Yes, let her continue her education. At least if it may give that one disabled student who is on the fence that he or she will continue their education, then the story line was worth doing.
Yes, I do have a gorgeous and wonderful 2 year old granddaughter with DS. And when her time comes to decide to continue her education or not, I will be right behind her with her whole family to support her decision.
I maintain a disability website for the state of Alaska. I found in my research some individuals experiencing down syndrome who have become business entrepreneurs. In Hoonah, Alaska there is Wade Bitz, who has a business called ‘Bitz of the Beach’ where he collects sea glass and makes jewelry and sells it. There was also a Canadian girl the had her own coffee shop (CEC). I’m sure these businesses have supports in place that add to their success. College isn’t for everyone but success is!