Stutterer Speaks Up in Class; His Professor Says Keep Quiet by Richard Perez-Pena

The title of the article says all. This article explains an unusual experience of a 16 year old attending college classes at Montclaire State University. The boy named Philip Garber Jr. raised his hand the whole time during the 75 minute lecture session, yet the professor, Ms. Snyder, refused to call on him. Beforehand, Ms. Snyder suggested to Philip that he either ask questions after class, write down the questions and give them to her afterwards, or find her some other time. Ms. Snyder claimed that Philip's speaking was "disturbing" and "inadequete."
She claimed that Philip's stuttering in class was "disruptive" for her whole class, which is why she suggested that he would be better off staying quiet rather than asking questions.
Philip decided to speak up about how unfair and discriminated he felt to the college dean, who in turn suggested that he just switch out of class.
Philip Garber was a boy who has been home schooled his entire life, and the college experience of being scolded shocked him to no end.
His parents, both angry and distressed, argued that the teacher was not giving him the equal oppurtunity that every student should have.

“What about a kid who’s got a thick accent and has to repeat everything?” asked Philip’s father, also named Philip, the managing editor of two small newspapers. “I don’t think you’d tell that kid he can’t talk.”

“I understand that it can be hard to listen to someone who stutters, but the answer can’t just be to shut him down,” said Philip’s mother, Marin Martin, a nurse.

Even Philip's classmates in college agreed that the way Philip was treated in the classroom was not right and unfair on his end.

"Two students in Ms. Snyder’s class, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid alienating their teacher, said that Philip did take up more time than the other students, but not egregiously so, and that his contributions were solid. They said they did not know what happened between him and Ms. Snyder, but did notice the day he held his hand up for most of the class and never got called on."

 The article then thoroughly explains the psychological behaivor behind stuttering, however psychologists find Philip's case very healthy because of his desire to participate and speak despite his differences.

Although Philip went through a lot of trials because of his speaking problem, he took a speaking class and is now starting to speaking much more fluently. However, it requieres much concentration.
Philip also joined, "Our Time Theater Company" a group for people who stutter.
The comment Philip made after the ordeal between him and Ms. Snyder was,

"I’ve been very lucky to never have been teased, bullied or anything, but some people who stutter completely stop speaking because of that kind of abuse,” Philip said. “People don’t think of it as a legitimate disability. They just need to learn.”

It's embarrasing to believe that even people who can't speak well enough are discriminated even in places like the classroom. A place that was supposed to be a safe and comfortable environment for kids to learn. It disgusts me how a well respected professor could treat a student, a 16 year old, like a mute.

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Here's the link to the article: ARTICLE

Thank you for reading.