Major media misuse word 'retarded'

Like many journalism majors, I read The New York Times, Newsweek and Time magazines, a few of the country's top news sources, hoping that over time my writing ability will reach the level of those publications.\nBut the high respect I once held for these prestigious and respected news organizations has diminished. And I've learned that even the greatest of the great can make the dumbest of mistakes.\nI was eating a bowl of Rice Krispies last Tuesday morning as I logged on to The New York Times Web site. When I saw it, I wasn't sure if it was sleep in my eyes or if I had actually correctly read the headline to one of the top stories. I blinked and read it again. To my horror, I was right. The headline blared, "Justices to hear issue of executing retarded killers" (March 27). \nI was awe-struck at the crudeness and just plain incorrectness of this headline -- how could a paper as respected as the Times run such an insensitive and incorrect headline? \nSadly, this wasn't the first time I have seen a news organization use this archaic adjective to describe people with mental disabilities.\nI learned in my journalism class that news organizations avoid using "politically correct" terms, arguing they trivialize social issues. But as the daughter of a special education teacher, I know "retarded" is absolutely not the word to use -- "mentally impaired" or "disabled" are both acceptable.\n"'Retarded' is certainly not the preferred term, and it's not even used in special education," said Mike Horvath, Monroe County Community School Corporation's director of special education. "I don't know why they continue to use that term."\nHe said "mentally disabled" is the term he would use.\nAs much as America has made advances in social issues such as racial improvement, women's rights and even geriatrics, people with disabilities seems to be an issue in which America has remained educationally stationery. \nJust recently, my mother came home from work visibly upset. She had taken her elementary class, composed of students with severe disabilities, on a field-trip to Wal-Mart to practice buying items on a shopping list. \nWhile in the store, my mom overheard a mother tell her daughter, "We better get outta here. The store is full of retards today."\nThe stereotypes people hold about persons with disabilities are still too prevalent. As someone who has grown up around children with special needs, I know they are some of the most loving and affectionate people -- we need more individuals like them in this world. \nAmerican ideology cannot change until news organizations such as The New York Times educate their staffs about this sensitive and important issue.\nWord length (yes, I realize it's an inconvenience to editors that "mentally disabled" is longer than the more concise "retarded") must not be considered when choosing the words to describe an individual. We as journalists should be sensitive, and should use our power as communicators to positively change American ideology.