Tara Myers wasn’t one of the bigger names at Wednesday’s Republican National Convention. She is simply a mother who wanted to share her gratitude that President Trump saw her son as handsome when others did not.
Myers explained that when she was pregnant with her son Samuel, early tests revealed that he had Down syndrome. The doctor “encouraged” her to terminate the pregnancy, telling her: “If you don’t do it, you will be putting your life, your family and your community at risk,” she solemnly recalls.
But Tara knew better.
Tara Myers talks about how school choice helped her son Samuel, who has Down syndrome: “Unlike the doctor who told me to end Samuel’s life before it began, President Trump did not fire my son…President Trump gave Samuel an equal seat table in Parliament.” https://t.co/Bu1ofYBbLe pic.twitter.com/GqQpQ5BiWV
— ABC News (@ABC) August 27, 2020
“I knew my child was a human being created by God and that made him worthy of life,” she said. he said. “I am grateful that President Trump values the lives of the unborn.”
Not only did she give birth to a son, but she fought for Samuel’s right to an excellent education. This also proved difficult as more and more people in her path told her to just give up.
“When we insisted that he and his sisters attend a nearby school, they told us to just go home and let us do our thing,” he recalled. “When I asked about functional learning, I was told, ‘That’s all you get, whether you like it or not.’”
“I didn’t like it,” she said. “One size didn’t fit all. So I helped fight for the passage of special needs scholarship legislation in Ohio so that all students could choose a program that would meet their needs. I have been working on launching a new functional learning program at our local private school. “
Finally, she happily announced, “Samuel had a good place to study.” On a special needs scholarship, he attended Mansfield Christian School.
Because of their persistence, Myers and her son were invited to the White House. She was so moved by their meeting with President Trump that she began to hold back tears when she shared this anecdote.
“President Trump shook my hand and said, ‘Great job, Mom, your son is amazing,'” Myers said, feeling herself getting emotional. “Unlike the doctor who told me to end Samuel’s life before it even began, President Trump did not fire my son; he showed Samuel that he appreciated him and was proud of what he had done. President Trump gave Samuel an equal seat at the table.”
The Trump administration has long promoted school choice. Last year, they introduced the Education Freedom Scholarship program, a federal tax credit that would fund private school scholarships and other education programs.
“Tonight, I would like to thank President Trump and his administration for their work to make every student’s dream of a meaningful education a reality,” she continued. “And for fighting to ensure that every child in America has an equal seat at the table of educational freedom and equal life opportunities. Thank you”.
