The Class Photo that Broke a Mother’s Heart

yahoo.com ^ | June 17, 2013

[grundle]

What is wrong with this picture?

It's one of those things that you don't get, until you get it. Unless you are eternally empathetic, you look at this photo and don't see much wrong at all.

To Anne Belanger, mother of Miles, the photo is unbearable to look at.

When the class portrait for her son's Grade 2 class came home, she opened it excitedly, and immediately shoved it back in the envelope. She couldn't look at it. It broke her heart.

Anne's son, Miles, has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. At the age of 13 months, his parents were told that Miles would never walk, he has spent his life in a wheelchair.

Miles knows he's different than the rest of the kids, but he still tries to fit in. So there he is, on the far side of the image, neck craning as far as he can to stretch into the frame with the rest of his friends. He's beaming. It's school picture day and he's thrilled.

But the photo still broke Anne's heart. The photo was a clear example of how set apart her son is from society. Instead of a big group hug photo with Miles at the center, and classmates and teachers all around, a fully inclusive image, he was stuffed off to the side, some 3 feet away. An after thought, it seems.

[AppyPappy]

Momma drama.

[Viennacon]

The one photo is hard to analyze. Could the wheelchair be closer? I can’t tell.

[cripplecreek]

If I were the photographer I would have put him right in the middle in the front and have the other kids form a gap.

[OneWingedShark]

It looks like the put his chair as close as it could get to the benches.

[ToxicMich]

I can understand the feeling... I don’t understand the NEED to share...

[verga]

If I were the photographer I would have put him right in the middle in the front and have the other kids form a gap.

My first thought as well.

[Ben Mugged]

I see this picture and I am sad for the kid and his family. A liberal sees this picture and sees an opportunity to add more Government.

[Larry Lucido]

The kid is in a class of kids with no faces!

[GeronL]

“How dare my child NOT be the center of attention!!”

That pretty much sums this up

[GeronL]

I noticed that too

[cuban leaf]

Instead of a big group hug photo with Miles at the center, and classmates and teachers all around...

---

In other words, the class chose not to go for the narcissistic pandering shot with “the cripple” surrounded by “adoring normal people”.

Welcome to the real world, kid.

[Sacajaweau]

no...it's tucked tight to the bench...even into the bench.

If the teacher had a brain, they could have used chairs.

[umgud]

The kids are perfectly centewred on the benches, leaving some room at each end. His wheelchair is as close to the end of the bench as possible. Mama too thin skinned and looking for percieved issues.

[Doogle]

the photographer could have moved everyone one foot to the right and it would have been better

[cuban leaf]

Could the wheelchair be closer?

---

Maybe an inch. They pulled it up to the edge of the stands.

[verga]

“How dare my child NOT be the center of attention!!” Serious question; What is wrong with you?

[El Cid]

It's a fricken class photo, for Pete's sake. No one wants to be there. They just want to take the photo and leave. The true picture is how the young lad is treated in class, and in the playground. He certainly has more obstacles than most people, and a higher chance of being ignored, or set aside - but I wouldn't read that into the photo. I'd just be happy about (and give thanks to the Good Lord) the beaming countenance of the kid. He has a tough haul compared to most of us, but he seems up to the task.

[puppypusher]

Who was the Heartless S.O.B. that did that to this child and his parents.Like this child had anything to do with his physical infirmities.

If this was done by the photographer,the school system needs to hire a new Photographer.I would also think about hiring an attorney to sue for a violation of this child’s rights to be treated the same as the other kids in the class.

[mlizzy]

If I were the photographer I would have put him right in the middle in the front and have the other kids form a gap.

I used to take classroom photos and that's exactly what I would have done too.