Yesterday, I was conducting a Function Behavior Assessment in Fort Bend ISD, Houston, for this life skills student in middle school. The setting in which I was to observe this child first was in an inclusion/regular education P.E. class. On my way to the gym, immediate thoughts of horror began to flood my brain. I have experienced all too often, over my 15 years, regular education students picking on special education students during inclusion classes or completely ignoring their existence. I prepared myself mentally since it is a boys PE class and middle school boys at that. The P.E. class consisted of approximately 50 boys from 6th to 8th grade where 10 of the boys were from the self-contained life skills classroom. When I arrived there were 2 teams of reg. ed. boys playing a game while 2 other reg. ed. teams and the 10 life skills boys were sitting on the bleachers watching the game. One coach officiated the game while 3 life skills assistances sat together laughing and talking. Once the first game stopped, the two other reg. ed. boys teams ran onto the court. My first thought, as anger swelled in me, was that the life skills kiddos would never get to play. They would stay secluded and ignored. I quickly scratched on my data sheet, “All life skills kids sitting out.” I continued to collect data on my student while watching the class and game unfold. To my surprise and horror, the game ended and the coach motioned for the life skills kids to come down for their game. I tensed up and braced myself for name calling and taunting, trying to determine who I would talk to about bullying. The life skills kiddos proudly ran onto the court and half of them put on jerseys. The game started as all the reg. ed. boys sat looking on intently at the game. I sat stunned as I heard the gym fill up with cheers for the different boys when they received the ball. The reg. ed. boys knew each child’s name and were genuinely happy with each pass or kick of the ball….a smile grew on my face. A jumped out of my seat as the gym erupted in sounds of stomping, cheering, laughter, high fives etc…when one of the life skills boys made a goal. Tears rolled down my face. These reg. ed. boys not only respected their non-typical peers but they liked them and saw them as one of their own…one’s to love and protect.  This elation at each goal continued throughout the game with all attention on the game until its conclusion. I basked in every second with admiration and love for that setting, that moment, those boys. When the game ended, the life skills kiddos ran up to the stands and were greeted with high fives and hugs. The smiles on their faces were priceless and made me ashamed of ever doubting the forgiving and loving nature of children…our children. In that moment, my faith and hope in humanity was restored. In that moment, those children became the same as all children with the same goals, same dreams, same hopes and they had friends to cheer for them on the side lines.