Alexander Mead
Alexander Mead shares why he supports the Americans with Disabilities Act, while some regard it as big government interference.
Most students get nervous before taking a big test. But my jitters are for a different reason than you might think: I have Cerebral Palsy.
It’s hard for me to use my hands to do tasks that require fine motor skills — like tying a shoelace. So I was afraid of taking the SAT, worried I would have to handwrite my essay or fill in the answer bubbles.
Luckily, since I was born after the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, the College Board allowed me to type my essay and to simply mark my answers in the test booklet. I took the same test as everyone else — I just took it in a different way. Without those accommodations, I’m sure my score on the SAT would have been too low to get into college. I frequently hear in political debates: get government out of our lives. But while some people might criticize the ADA as “big government” interference, I am very grateful that the act passed because it helps me to lead a normal life.
