CHICAGO — When Jessica Anacker was in middle school, her teacher pulled her out of English class one day because students were bullying her because of her learning disability.
Instead of disciplining the bully, “she said it was my fault that she was being bullied,” Anacker said.
An angry Anacker retorted to the teacher, “It's your job to deal with it.”
Now chairman of the Texas Caucus of Disability Democrats and a delegate to this week's Democratic National Convention, Anacker is excited that there may soon be someone “handling” these issues at the highest levels of government.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' running mate, has spoken candidly and lovingly about his 17-year-old son, Gus, who has ADHD, as well as a nonverbal learning disability and anxiety. Walz and his wife, Gwen, both former teachers, said in a recent statement to People magazine that they never considered Gus's condition a disability.
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“Like many American families, it took us some time to figure out how to do all we could to help Gus succeed as he grew,” the couple said.
“It took time, but we soon discovered that Gus' symptoms were not a disability but his secret power,” they said.
As Waltz delivered his acceptance speech in a packed United Center arena on Wednesday night, Guss watched from the stands with his mother and sister, Hope, and sobbed.
“That's my dad!” he cried.
Waltz paid tribute to his family from the stage: “Hope, Gus, Gwen, you guys mean my world. I love you guys,” he said.
Gus Waltz was so moved by his father's words that he jumped out of his seat.
He pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Daddy.”
Advocates for Americans with learning disabilities believe the Waltzes' openness about their son and willingness to speak publicly about their experience will raise much-needed awareness that could help others going through similar experiences.
“It's good to see politicians and people running for office feeling comfortable talking about disability issues and not viewing it as a taboo topic or something that shouldn't be talked about,” said Zoe Gross, advocacy director for the Washington-based Autism Independence Network.
When public figures speak openly about their own or their family's experiences with disability, Gross says, it makes more people feel comfortable disclosing their own disability or talking about their family's experiences.
“That's helpful,” she said, “because in order to talk about the needs of the disability community, we need to be comfortable as a society talking about disability, just as we are comfortable talking about the needs of marginalized people.”
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In a sign of how much the Harris-Waltz campaign cares about disability rights, Gwen Waltz made a surprise appearance at a disability advocates meeting at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday. She made no mention of her son in her brief speech, but said her husband strongly believes “every student, every human being deserves a chance to get ahead.”
Walz is not the first vice presidential nominee with a child with a disability. 2008 Republican nominee Sarah Palin has a son, Trigg, who has Down syndrome. Trigg was just a toddler when his mother was running for vice president. Palin held her son in her arms onstage after her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett also has a son with Down syndrome.
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In a statement to People magazine, Tim and Gwen Waltz said they noticed Gus' special abilities from an early age.
“As our youngest son, Gus, grew up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates,” his parents said. “He preferred playing video games and spending time alone.”
As he became a teenager, it was discovered that in addition to his anxiety disorder, he had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a developmental brain disorder that begins in early childhood and is characterized by problems with sustained attention, hyperactivity and impulse control.
Adult ADHD is relatively common, affecting between 139 million and 360 million people worldwide, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and with treatment, its impact is usually limited.
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Anacker, a Texas delegate to the Democratic National Convention, said it's important for people with ADHD and other learning disabilities to have people in positions of power advocate for them.
Anacker has a neurodivergent disorder – a non-medical term for people whose brains develop or work differently from the general population – and also suffers from speech and dysgraphia, a neurological condition that makes it hard for people to put their thoughts into written form.
She remembers breaking down in tears in high school because she couldn't draw a frog in science class, and as an adult, she says she has never had a permanent job because employers found it difficult to accommodate her disability.
No matter who wins the November election, advocates hope the needs of Americans with disabilities will be a priority for the next administration.
For example, Gross' group would like to see an expansion of home- and community-based services through Medicaid, which he said is one of the most pressing issues facing Americans with autism. Many states have long waiting lists for such services, and the people who provide them are poorly paid, resulting in high staff turnover, Gross said.
Additionally, advocates want to see an expansion of employment services, a restructuring of government research to focus more on quality-of-life issues and a federal ban on the use of seclusion or restraints in public schools unless they are needed to prevent physical danger, such as stopping someone from running into a busy street.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost both legs and some use of her right arm when the Blackhawk helicopter she was riding in was hit by a grenade, said Walz's openness in speaking about his son would benefit all Americans with disabilities.
“For so long, disabilities have been hidden. You cared for your loved one, but you didn't talk about it publicly,” Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, said after addressing disability advocates at the Democratic National Convention. “A lot of people with disabilities have stayed home and stayed out of the workplace. We really need people with disabilities to be a part of normal society, so they can get jobs and show people they can do it.”
Regardless of the outcome of the election in November, Walz has already brought attention to ADHD and other learning disabilities by simply talking about his son on the campaign trail., The advocates said.
“We love Gus,” Tim and Gwen Waltz said in a statement. “We are so proud of the way he's grown and so excited to be with him on this journey.”
Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him at X @mcollinsNEWS.