Parent urges district to use people-first language, asks for inclusive preschool program

Giselle Canals Granieri, a Secaucus resident and pediatric occupational therapist, told the board she and other families were upset after receiving a district email that used the phrase “full day pre k disabled.”

“People first language prioritizes the person over the disability,” Canals Granieri said during public comment. She recommended the district use alternatives such as “preschool program for children with disabilities” or “preschool special education program” in family and community communications and urged the board to consider changing legal documentation as well.

Canals Granieri identified herself as a mother of a child in the Mill Ridge preschool program and said she has worked for more than 10 years with children with special needs in school and medical settings. She said adopting people-first language helps set an example for staff and families and recommended the district move toward a full-time, inclusive integrated preschool program.

Board members did not take immediate action during the meeting but discussed committee representation and parent involvement in the Visions Committee later in the agenda. The Visions Committee members were described as parent representatives from each school and a parent representative from the special education community; board members said the committee would meet for at least one year with that initial membership before considering rotation.

Canals Granieri’s request remains a public recommendation; the board did not vote on policy language during this meeting.