Presume Competence
August 4, 2010Picture a family in a local restaurant. The waiter notices that one member of the group is a man with Down syndrome. He takes orders from each person in turn and then asks, “And what would he like?” There are curious looks all around the table as the man speaks up, “I can tell you myself.”
The waiter erroneously presumed incompetence. Disrespectful? Yes. Socially awkward? You bet. But there’s something deeper here – something that leans squarely in the direction of human value.
In the past week, two events have focused my attention on this issue. First, I was approached about contributing to an article on the relationship between elective abortions and prenatal diagnoses of Down syndrome. Second, I read a piece by the mother of an adult daughter with autism. Her advice on how to act when meeting people with autism was threefold. Be nice. Show respect. Presume competence.
Though seemingly unrelated, those two events snapped together for me like puzzle pieces when I read the last two words: Presume competence. The book, First Conversation, is full of examples in which friends, medical staff and even church members seem to presume anything but competence (or worthiness) in the future life of a person with a developmental disability. Should we be surprised?
Consider this: The American Journal of Medical Genetics reported as recently as 2005 that 81% of medical students believed they were “not getting any clinical training regarding individuals with intellectual disabilities”. A year earlier, a survey of obstetric fellows revealed that nearly half rated their training as “barely adequate or nonexistent”. Careful not to lay too much blame on the medical community, this is a problem we all own. Plus, there’s hope. For proof, see anything by Brian Skotko, physician, researcher and writer.
In the absence of our voice on their behalf, people with disabilities – on both sides of the birth canal – are at the mercy of ignorance. Whether waiter, physician, pastor or neighbor, God has called all of us into a better First Conversation. We needn’t wait for a diagnosis either. We are called to presume far more than mere competence in people with disabilities. We are called to presume immeasurable value.
David Morstad
I appreciate the links to current research and new resources. “Fasten Your Seatbelt” looks like a great resource.
“Presume competence” I like that phrase. You’ve given me a new way to express everything we strive for in supporting people with disabilties — choice, independence, respect. All of us can remember a time when someone viewed us as incompetent and how that made us feel. The difference is we could speak up for ourselves or find a way to prove them wrong.
The concept of ‘presume competence’ reminds me of when I was in college. At the beginning of a semester, one professor told us that he planned to give each of us an A…unless our performance proved otherwise.
Our justice system is based on the presumption of innocence, until such time as guilt could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Luther advised us in his explanation to the 8th Commandment to put the best construction on everything when dealing with our neighbors.
We would be wise in all aspects of life, and with all of the people we encounter, to presume competence.