1 + 2 + 3 = Ableism ("Abbott Elementary")

Spoilers for seasons one, two, and three of Abbott Elementary

Trigger Warning: mention of abuse ; mention and talk of the word “crippled”

All questions in this article are rhetorical (unless the creator wants to answer them) unless specified otherwise

The ableism in the first three seasons of Abbott Elementary are examples of when I hate being correct. There’s so much ableism it took me multiple weeks to write this article.

There are 49 episodes of Abbott Elementary currently out. Nine to 11 of these episodes include some kind of disability representation.

I say “nine to 11” because I’m sure there’s something in nine and there’s two other episodes of which I’m not 100% sure.

Eight of these nine episodes include a little bit of wheelchair user representation. Two of those episodes have a tiny bit of American Sign Language representation.

Two episodes in season two (which I talk about more in depth later) perhaps have sign language and no wheelchair user.

In season three there is no wheelchair user representation and one episode with any ASL (American Sign Language) representation.

There is no disability representation in season one, but there is multiple instances of ableist language I want to address.

In episode three, “Wishlist”, Miss Janine Teagues (one of the second grade teachers) (played by Quinta Brunson who is also the creator of the show) summarizes and paraphrases a Bible verse (Luke 14:13: “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind”). In doing so, she says the word “crippled”. (Depending on the Bible version/translation, “crippled” isn’t actually said.”

If she directly quoted the verse, I might feel different (because, unfortunately, that kind of language is in the Bible). If she quoted it directly, I at least would understand why that word was said.

But she paraphrased it. She could’ve chosen a different word. If she cared about not being ableist, she easily could have chosen a word that’s not ableist.

In episode six, “Gifted Program”, Principal Ava Coleman (the principal of Abbott Elementary) (played by Janelle James) talks about how she could have a group of many smart kids. She says she “could be like Charles Xavier with legs”.

First of all, it is not okay to make fun of and/or jokes about disabled people. Secondly, Charles Xavier/Professor X DOES have legs - he’s just a full time wheelchair user.

Thirdly, if Charles Xavier didn’t have legs, that comment would still not be okay. “Having legs” does not matter in this situation or conversation. That doesn’t matter in the case of having a gifted program at the school. It’s just ableist.

Speaking as a Disabled person, not including representation but including ableist language is a bad first impression.

There are 22 episodes in season two.

As mentioned above, eight of these episodes include (some kind of) wheelchair user representation.

Two to four of those 22 has American Sign Language.

Episode one, “Development Day”, shows the teachers getting things ready for the school year before the students arrive.

Mrs. Barbara Howard (the kindergarten teacher and the teacher with the wheelchair user in her class) (played by Sheryl Lee Ralph) makes an effort for her disabled student. Her first order of business is getting a ramp at the school.

Mrs. Howard then spends basically the entire episode trying to get a specific desk for the student (but the school district (or whoever) isn’t helpful).

Simultaneously, Mr. Jacob Hill (the maybe sixth to eighth grade teacher) (played by Chris Perfetti) spends the entire episode talking about how he started learning ASL. However, in this episode, the extent of his sign language knowledge that is shown without a student is him twisting his hands in the air instead of clapping by hitting his palms together. Also, because of his starting to learn the language, Mr. Hill is announced to teach an ASL course to the other staff. This bothers me because Mr. Hill is not fluent and does not know the culture that comes with the language. Firstly, he cannot knowingly correctly teach anyone if he himself barely knows things. Secondly, pay attention or talk to Deaf or HoH (Hard-of-Hearing) people that know the language and culture and you could learn more about why Mr. Hill teaching an ASL course is not okay.

Near the very end of the episode, the students arrive to the school. We see Mrs. Howard and Mr. Hill interact with their disabled students. The wheelchair using student is pushed up the ramp by an adult. Mrs. Howard thanks the adult and grabs one of the student’s wheelchair’s handlebars. Then we see a student standing in front of Mr. Hill and an adult whispers in one of his ears. Mr. Hill then introduces himself to the student and the student (Imani) introduces herself to him (both in sign language). Either disabled student is shown on screen for just some seconds (the wheelchair user student is shown for around six seconds ; the (maybe) deaf student is shown - signing - for about five seconds).

The student that uses a wheelchair is shown again when Mrs. Howard pushes him into her classroom. This time, he is on screen for about ten seconds. In this scene it is revealed Mr. Gregory Eddie (the first grade teacher) (played by Tyler James Williams) found an accessible desk for the student.

I kind of like this episode because I feel it shows teachers caring. I feel it shows teachers treating disabled people as actual human beings.

The next episode with any kind of wheelchair user representation is episode four, “The Principal’s Office”.

It’s a short scene (almost 50 seconds) at the very beginning where Mrs. Howard and her students are gathered around one of the students to sing “Happy Birthday”. The wheelchair user is shown for 13 seconds out of the 50.

Then, 12 minutes in, Mrs. Howard’s students are in a line in the hall and there is no wheelchair user. This is, unfortunately, one of multiple instances that show the wheelchair using student then excluding him in the same episode.

Episode five, “Juice”, barely has any wheelchair user representation (three times in one scene - equaling to around six seconds in the 20 and a half minute episode).

In this episode, all the bathrooms on the first and second floors break. Because there is no elevator, at one point Mrs. Howard says, “since one of my students can’t use the stairs, I’ll have to drop Johnny off with another teacher”. (I assume Johnny is the student that uses a wheelchair and from here on out I will refer to him as such.)

This line of dialogue really upsets me because it basically full on says Mrs. Howard won’t take her disabled student to the bathroom. (Everyone going to the third floor bathrooms after Mrs. Howard’s bathroom breaks implies there is no other bathrooms on the first floor.)

Being a wheelchair user does not automatically mean he can’t and/or doesn’t use the same bathroom as everyone else. And keeping someone from the bathroom is literally an example of abuse. She full on admitted to abusing one of her students. This isn’t okay. It’s completely possible to bring Johnny up and down the stairs in his wheelchair. Not wanting to do the work is not an excuse to abuse someone.

To me, this is also a very convenient reason as to why Johnny is excluded from, and not seen with, the rest of Mrs. Howard’s class.

“Juice” is also the last episode of season two to include any kind of (obvious) sign language. (Fifteen-ish minutes into episode seven, “Attack Ad”, there is someone in the very background who looks like they may be signing but I can’t exactly tell. If they are signing, I certainly can’t tell what is being said. Then, 13 minutes into episode 19, “Festival”, someone appearing to be signing is behind Amber. If this person is signing, nothing seems to be a complete sentence (as a Hard of Hearing person learning ASL).) At around 18 minutes and 45 seconds into the episode (with less than three minutes of the episode left) Mr. Hill walks by Ms. Melissa Schemmenti (a second and third grade teacher) (played by Lisa Ann Walter)’s room and signs the word “signing” while verbally saying it in a singsongy voice. The interaction lasts for about two seconds.

The next episode with wheelchair user representation is episode six, “Candy Zombies”.

In this over 21 minute episode, Johnny is seen once. It is for under four seconds at the beginning of the episode. He is dressed up as Buzz Lightyear. (In this episode it’s Halloween and everyone is dressed up in costumes.) He is in his wheelchair and is being pushed by an adult. Mrs. Howard then greets Johnny and takes him in his wheelchair from the other adult.

At around six minutes and 50 seconds, there is another instance of Johnny being shown then excluded. Mrs. Howard’s class is shown having naptime. Johnny does not appear to be there (his wheelchair certainly isn’t shown). I honestly do not understand acknowledging Johnny’s presence that day - that episode - and not showing him in the classroom with the rest of his peers.

Episode eight, "Egg Drop", doesn’t have representation, but includes language I want to address.

Less then ten minutes in, there is a debate turned conversation amongst a lot of the adults. At some point, it turns into people mentioning the things/conspiracy theories they believe. Principal Coleman says, “Stevie Wonder ain’t blind”.

Here’s my problem with that: So many disabled people get accused of faking their disabilities every day because of many people’s assumptions of what disability should look like. These accusations do a lot of harm. And these “jokes” don’t help. It’s not okay.

Johnny is next in episode ten, “Holiday Hookah” (a 21 and a half minute episode). He is shown on screen once (equating to under two seconds).

Also in this episode, Miss Teagues goes to a hookah bar with a friend. There are no wheelchair users in line outside the bar and/or actually in the bar. I understand we [wheelchair users] are still not seen or shown in public a lot, but Abbott Elementary is a fictional show. They can easily make a difference by including us. Because, believe it or not, we exist everywhere.

Seventeen and a half minutes (four minutes left) into episode 15, “Fire”, Johnny is finally shown in that episode. (He ends up being shown on and off for maybe 12 seconds.)

Besides my base belief that there should be multiple wheelchair users in every episode, I have another problem with Johnny just appearing that late: At the beginning of the episode, the fire alarm goes off and everyone evacuates. A lot of students are shown coming out of the building and standing outside. Johnny, though, is not. I am particularly bothered by this because when it comes to emergencies/emergency evacuations, wheelchair users are often left behind. We are left inside the building or we have to take the only accessible route to safety (which is long and less safe). Why continue that narrative? Why not show you actually care about and take care of Johnny and his safety?

In episode 17, “Mural Arts”, (which is about 21 and a half minutes) Johnny is on screen (in the background) off and on for about 5 seconds in total.

It’s when everyone is gathered in the gymnasium for an assembly (for lack of a different word) about Mural Arts Philadelphia being at the school.

In doing research for this article, I rewatched this episode and I actually discovered I missed Johnny the first time.

This perfectly showcases a reason why multiple wheelchair users in each episode is so important to me. We deserve better. We shouldn’t only be in the background. We shouldn’t be able to easily be missed.

I shouldn’t have to pause and/or rewind an episode multiple times - or at all really - to see if we’re included.

Episode 21, “Mom”, is about 21 and a half minutes long. In this episode there are two scenes back to back (same location). These scenes together are a little over two minutes. In those two minutes (and, consequently, in the entire episode) Johnny is shown on and off for about 26 to 27 seconds.

This is the longest Johnny is shown in any of the episodes currently out.

In episode 22, “Franklin Institute” (also the last episode of season two), there is zero wheelchair user representation, but I feel it’s important to mention.

In this episode, the teachers and students visit a science museum (the Franklin Institute) on a field trip. But Johnny isn’t there.

I mention this episode because in episode 13, “Fundraiser” (where students raise money for said field trip), it is said multiple times that “the kids are so excited” for the field trip.

If the kids are “so excited”, why not show the ONE wheelchair user student having fun? Why is he excluded?

A huge thing for me is Johnny having zero lines of dialogue in any given episode.

This doesn’t make sense to me because it’s not like the adults are the only ones to say things. The kids do too.

Why does the ONE wheelchair user in the show not have a single line of dialogue?

Overall, season two does a better job at including disabled people than season one. I like that Mrs. Howard acknowledges Johnny and seems to talk to and, for the most part, treat him like she does her other students. That being said, though, the representation (1) at times, was handled in an ableist and disrespectful way and (2) is not enough.

I am upset about Johnny not being shown more, but, at the same time, I understand. I understand not every student can be at school every day. I understand not every student going on a field trip. With this show, I even understand not showing the kids all the time.

This is why I firmly believe in including multiple wheelchair users - disabled people in general. It can and should be kids and adults (adults being siblings, parents, teachers, other school staff, etc).

Not only is it more realistic, it’s also an easy way to be more inclusive. If someone isn’t there for however long for whatever reason, having multiple disabled people helps make sure we’re still included and represented.

This is something at which season three of Abbott Elementary fails.

There’s a little bit of ASL representation, but not much. And there is no wheelchair user representation. (This honestly doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t understand the point of starting to include representation just to take that away. That isn’t okay.)

The only episode of this season with ASL representation is episode three, “Gregory's Garden Goofballs”.

There is (I would say) only one example of sign language in this one.

One of the main focuses of this episode is Miss Teagues trying to get an ASL interpreter for Imani (which she thankfully is able to get). To do this, she has to make a presentations to her peers at the district. On a projector slide behind her are the phrases “hard-of-hearing” and “hearing impaired”. My problem with this is Quinta has yet to reveal how Imani identifies, so using the term “hearing impaired” is not okay. So many people in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community have asked Hearing people to not use “hearing impaired” as a way to describe or refer to people unless they know someone uses the term for themselves.

Eleven minutes into the episode, Miss Teagues and Mr. Hill are talking about the ASL interpreter. Mr. Hill says and signs that he “can fill in the gaps”. The thing is that it is revealed on screen that he actually signs “I can put dirt in the holes”. I hate this “joke” because ASL is a lot of people’s language. A lot of people depend on it for one reason and in one way or another. I don’t understand of making fun of or making a joke out of making a mistake in a literal, serious language.

Then, at 11 minutes and 45 seconds, Principal Coleman is making fun of Mr. Hill to Imani and three of Imani’s friends. Throughout the interaction, Principal Coleman side eyes Imani for laughing at her jokes later than Imani’s friends. I appreciate the slight education Mr. Hill provides, but I also get the ick (for lack of better wording) during the scene. I understand Principal Coleman is incredibly self-involved and ignorant when it comes to the school and being a principal, but by season three we know she cares about the students. Why doesn’t she know at least the basics of what Imani needs and how Imani follows a verbal conversation?

The end of this episode is when the ASL representation comes in. The interpreter talks to Imani and her parents for about 13 seconds. The interpreter is then shown next to Principal Coleman and interpreting for Imani show she can enjoy and laugh at the jokes in "real time" (for lack of a better way to word that).

Now to talk about the exclusion of wheelchair users:

In season three, Johnny is meant to be in first grade (aka Mr. Eddie’s class).

In the background of some scenes in a couple episodes (I believe the very first episode of the season, “E1/E2: Career Day (Parts 1 & 2)”, and episode three, “Gregory's Garden Goofballs”), the wheelchair accessible desk Mrs. Howard used in season two can be seen among the circular tables in Mr. Eddie’s classroom.

The thing is: the desk is only visible and/or actually in the classroom when Mr. Eddie isn’t teaching.

Why include a desk (an inanimate object) and not a wheelchair user (an actual living, breathing human being)?

I understand zoning changes can happen. I understand Johnny could be at a different school now, but the desk is there. Why have an accessible desk if you’re not going to include ANY wheelchair users?

This fully seems like the show is trying to ignore and/or forget our existence. This is not okay.

As I said above, I do not understand starting to include disabled people just to pull back the little that’s there.

Along with what is said above, there is something each season has in common: There is not a single wheelchair user in the intro of any episode.

This full on says the school isn’t accessible. And that, to me, says, “physically disabled people are not welcome here”. This isn’t okay because that can exclude certain people from possibly getting an education. It could also prevent specific people from getting to interact with people unlike themselves.

Keep in mind:

There could be more ableism I didn’t mention here. It is entirely possible there is something(s) I didn’t recognize and/or don’t feel qualified to speak about.