A textbook that talked about mentally retarded people who had better have an abortion led to a lot of political and social unrest. Susanne Blomsteel, mother of six children, the youngest of whom has Down syndrome, discovered this. She received a call from a photographer on Monday asking whether the photo she had appeared in the newspaper a while ago could be used in a biology textbook for secondary education. In Noordhoff’s textbook, epidemiologist and columnist Luc Bonneux writes about ‘avoiding mentally retarded life’. Susanne: “My heart broke when I read it.” Nico Drost (Christian Union) also responds.
The publisher of the book has already indicated that it will adjust the texts. Nico Drost of the ChristenUnie still thinks it’s a tough situation. He responds in Featured! from Family7. “We want to be an inclusive society, but apparently there is not a place for everyone, this really touches me”.