Anyone in the special education department has heard it before: "You're so amazing for choosing that field." "I could never work with those people." "You're a saint." "You'll have no problem getting a job!"

Although I don't usually complain about being regarded with sheer reverence, something about using it to compliment my desire to work with people who have disabilities has always rubbed me the wrong way. I grew up in a household with four siblings. One of said siblings has Down syndrome and autism, so I am entirely aware that I'm biased, but I firmly believe that interacting with people who have disabilities should be the norm, not the exception. We're all people, after all.

The definition of normal has changed so much that people who visible disabilities shouldn't be segregated as much as they are. Approximately 26.2 percent of Americans over 18 have a mental disabilities. An additional 19 percent have a physical disability. That adds up to nearly half of the population, and yet people still don't understand the need to reevaluate the treatment of those with disabilities.

I definitely don't mind the availability of jobs in the field of special education, but it is my hope that more people will become inspired to make an impact on the lives of students and flock to fields where they can do so. Instead of begging and pleading people to work in the field of special education, school boards should be able to hire candidates who have a genuine desire to teach their students.

In short, people with disabilities should never be referred to as "those people." Everyone has the capacity to interact with someone who has different defining characteristics, and you shouldn't be in a special education field if you're only in it for the money. I appreciate the sentiment of people who call me a saint, but I'm just a person, just like everybody else.