Comments on: Normal Sucks

By: Martha

Martha — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 04:18:23 +0000

I agree with the comments above – “normal” can seem boring or unreasonable or a poor ideal – but making it a negative word is just as bad as making those other ones (like dyslexic or learning disabled or unacademic) negative! We need to accept that everyone is different, with different strengths and weaknesses.

By: Rachel Edith Watstein

Rachel Edith Watstein — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 23:51:37 +0000

I was told from a very young age to never be normal, that normal was boring. That is a huge pressure to live up to and a huge alineator. I didn’t have any options but to be different. There are areas where I would have liked to fit in, but that was boring…and it also took me out of the capacity to have “normal” experiences and “normal” relationships because I would be boring so there was a massive amount of isolation and being misunderstood.

I now pride myself on the unique aspects of myself that are not “normal” but to grow up with such pressure and a lack of acceptance by so many including myself, destroyed what could have been worthy parts of who I could have been forever.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 23:10:14 +0000

I’m a teacher who retired after 43 years in elementary education. I know the Parental Rights Act gave families the power to enroll their developmentally different child in a general ed. classroom. Most importantly what didn’t happen, along with that legislation, was enlightenment of legislators about the fact that each and every one of us does possess a special talent or special interest, or special strength that needs to be recognized and nurtured. Nevermind the test scores to evaluate the number of individuals who have met the arbitrary educational standards. As teachers, so many of us try to deemphasize the numbers expected of a regulated curriculum so that we have time to nourish the unique talent in each of our students. Unfortunately that is not an aspect of education that is valued as much as those wretched test scores.

By: Thomas J Villa

Thomas J Villa — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 17:13:49 +0000

Interesting and inspiring. Thank you Mr. Mooney for sharing your story to help open hearts and minds.
In response to the film, please consider that the language used in the school report mentioned early in the film was not negative or hurtful. It was clinical language – – objective and descriptive in nature – – used to identify/diagnose developmental differences that might warrant attention. The report was not meant to be read to a young person such as yourself, at least not without appropriate explanation. It sounds as if our public schools failed you. Every family deserves the freedom to decide for itself where and how best to educate its children. School choice for all is the solution. Also, please do not repeat what you said to students at the end of the film, that “normal people suck.” We have far too much divisiveness in society today. Please consider other, more positive ways to inspire children. With that said, thank you and keep inspiring others!