I’ve talked before about how I view prolife work, but today I have the honor of guest posting over at The Practicing Catholic on the topic. I believe that if we find the statistics about prenatal diagnosis and abortion apalling, we have to change the culture that almost guarantees such a high rate. But we don’t do that by arguing hot-button political issue/s–we do that by changing ourselves–by making contacts and interactions with the disabled population, for us and for our children. I hope you’ll take the time to visit and read, because this is so important!
Kathleen M. Basi 
Wow, thank you for writing this. A dear friend of mine’s son has Asperger’s syndrome and in the first grade was kicked out of our parish’s school. The sister who was the principal had been a principal in public schools and worked very hard to keep the little boy there but the parents of the other students and the teacher were adamant, they didn’t want him. I’ve heard stories from other parents that the school would refuse therapists to come in and work with their child. I’m thrilled with Shelby’s school that allows her to be with her autistic peers for her academics and IEP goals (which she cannot be mainstreamed at this point) but allows her to participate in her resource activities (music, art, media center, PE, and computers) with her neuro-typical peers and attend field trips with them (with a one-to-one aid). Autism is a little different because Shelby “looks normal” but obviously with Down syndrome, autism, a physical impairment, etc we need to be educating ourselves and children that people with these disabilities are children of God and deserve the best of everything those of us fully-abled receive too.
That’s so sad! It’s all too easy for parochial school to become about exclusivity and academic results, looking at it more like a private school instead of a religious one. It’s kind of our own fault, b/c we’re always bragging about the high academic standards we hold up in the parochial schools, and how they’re so much better than the public schools. I’m so glad your daughter is able to interact as much as possible.