Dethroned Ms. Wheelchair given new title: Miss disAbility International

[UrbScotty]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-ms.-wheelchair-dispute,0,804203.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

The high school teacher who lost her Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin title after she was seen standing in a newspaper photo has been given a new honor -- Miss disAbility International.

Janeal Lee is the charter titleholder of a new competition being launched by the Oklahoma City-based World Association of Persons With Disabilities in response to the furor over the Ms. Wheelchair dispute, said George Kerford, the group's chairman emeritus.

"We are focusing on abilities," he said Wednesday. "We want to project the images of these people who happen to be classified as disabled."

Lee, a math teacher who has progressive muscular dystrophy, won the Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin title in January. The honor was taken away several weeks later after a picture showing her standing in her classroom was published in a supplement to The Post-Crescent newspaper of Appleton.