A Biannual Journal

Abstract. The extremely well-known holiday television special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is deconstructed to expose an underlying philosophical paradigm towards people, especially children, with disabilities that is mechanistic and utilitarian. This paradigm includes a static and over-determined view of any disability a person may have, and can be erroneously supported by a philosophy of “radical freedom. ” Examples of this philosophy of disability as applied to the K-12 realm of special education are also provided, showing how the lessons learned from the children’s movie are mirrored in the static conceptualization of the notion of disability in the general society and educational system. Rudolph the Disabled, Red-Nosed Reindeer (May, 1919). Donner, the lead reindeer in Santa's army of reindeers has a son, Rudolph, who is born with a red nose. The Donner's are appalled at the sight and when Santa meets baby, he too is taken aback, expressing concern about Rudolph’s ability to make the sleigh team. As the first year goes on the Donner's do “a pretty fair job of hiding Rudolph’s nonconformity, ” thinking that hiding his nose will make him a “normal little buck.” Soon it is April and the reindeer games are about to start. Donner prepares Rudolph by placing