Getting Rid of the “R-Word”

Governor Snyder has legislation before him to remove all instances of of the words “retardation” and “retarded” from state laws. The House and Senate passed on Wednesday respective bills that would replace the words with “developmental disability” or “intellectually disabled.” The bills passed unanimously in both chambers. Republican Senator Rick Jones of Grand Ledge called the words “archaic” and compared them to using racial slurs. Democratic Representative Tom Cochran of Mason said replacing dated, offensive terms with language that is inclusive and respectful sends a strong message that we welcome people of all backgrounds in Michigan.