Kansas letter writing campaign leads to removal of ‘R-Word’
By Chad Frey, Newton Kansan
http://www.thekansan.com/news/x355687426/Letter-writing-leads-to-removal-of-R-Word

NEWTON — A national campaign coming in March encourages the removal of “the r-word” from the lexicon.
That word is “retard” or “retarded.”

March 7 is the national campaign day, and this year the campaign is asking “How will you help end the R-word?”
For one local group, their efforts to get rid of the word started a year ago. A group with the Marion-Harvey County CDDO started writing letters, seeking a change to state statutes.

“The word is still in Kansas statutes,” said Elizabeth Schmidt. “The statues say to get assistance, there has to be a diagnosis of mental retardation.”

Letters were sent to the Governor, Rep. Marc Rhoades, R-Newton, and Rep. Don Schroeder, R-Inman.
Rhoades and Schroeder have stepped forward, first checking to see how they would get the word removed the statutes —and then co-sponsoring a bill to make it happen.

“I think it goes to the point that folks with this disability felt that the old term is somewhat demeaning and wanted it changed,” Rhoades said.

There are about 80 places in the Kansas statutes the bill will make the language change.