At marching band competitions, I’ve seen a couple of bands bring on kids in wheelchairs. I have no idea whether they were in wheelchairs due to temporary injuries or permanent disabilities.
I’m all for it. Their disability does not detract from their musical talent; I respect an organization that recognizes that, and works to include them.
Not having seen the show, but considering the idea in general, why not??? If the main requirement for a choir is singing ability and you have it, then there’s no reason why using a chair, or having any disability, should keep you out of it. Choreography can be adapted. Unless, of course, seeing people in chairs makes certain people uncomfortable…which is their problem, not that of the person in question.
I think they also need him to reach the minimum needed to compete.
Having a guy in a wheelchair as part of the glee club is one of the more realistic things about this show.
Soon enough he’ll have an episode revolving around him, and then we’ll see if he’s worth keeping around.
Yeah, that’s what I came in to say. Not only is he in a wheelchair, but he’s also butt-ugly, and apparently has no social skills. He might as well have a sign that says “Lost Cause.”
How do we know if he has any social skills or not? We haven’t seen him do anything yet.
Well, I said “apparently”.
Fair enough. 
I’m with GuanoLad – I look forward to an episode that focuses on him so we can find out a little more.
I am so confused by this thread. This guy is butt-ugly? People don’t usually get in boy bands for being butt ugly.
This character already has fangirls based on his voice alone. But he’s a “Lost Cause” because he’s in a wheelchair?
Wow. Just wow.
No offense to the disabled, but I don’t want to see wheelchairs on TV. Illness and disease make me uncomfortable, and I like to watch TV to escape reality. If they want to participate in real life glee clubs, I’m all for it! Folks in wheelchairs should be able to follow their dreams and accomplish anything they want. Just don’t force me to look at it.
Yes, that was a whoosh. But I often see arguments like the above, almost verbatim.
I use a wheelchair and have participated in plenty of theater groups. Sometimes the blocking has to be adapted but it’s no big deal. Plus the group gets a moral kick out of including a poor disadvantaged cripple and they get cred for doing so.
People in wheelchairs can dance. I know, pretty amazing right? They can also paint, race in marathons, brush their teeth, argue over who pays the restaurant bill, pet cats, tie their shoes, fuck, write incoherent internet posts, take a joke, be an asshole, blog about annoying coworkers, pace, drink martinis, and clip their toenails.
I don’t think he’s ugly but upon seeing his hairdo on that site i might reconsider wow that’s bad.
This is such an odd question…really.
Why shouldn’t a kid in a wheelchair be in a glee club?!
Granted, they could have made him a “stud” with huge chest muscles and arms, but the fact that he is sort of “geeky” is no reason to exclude him.
Are you going to bitch that the black girl is too fat (“stereotype”), or that the Gay kid is too “fem” (like all queers?) or that the pregnant girl is blonde (because all blondes are stupid?).
I am a teacher.
Trust me when I say not all students are gorgeous, fit, athletic knockouts.
Besides - the show is on FOX…you either buy into the concept or you don’t.
I think the fact that they even included a disabled student is sort of ground-breaking for that network - even if the actor really isn’t disabled.
Yeah, but this thread is about the character, not the actor. Notice I said “made him look.” Many a fine-looking actor has ugged up for a role. Just in this case, it seems like overkill.
Carnick, I was about to post something incoherently angry at you for that first bit of that post. Don’t do that!
Huh. He’s a little scrawny and geeky looking, but the phrase “butt ugly” would never have sprung to mind for me. As for the social skills, he may be at the bottom of the high school heap, but he’s a scrawny geeky looking guy in a wheelchair, and, well… high school. The other kids in Glee seem to like him quite a bit, if you watch closely you’ll see that one or another of the girls (even the Cheerios!) is always leaning on or over him if they’re just sitting around, and the boys were shown carrying him up the stairs in his chair to escape Sue and Shue’s screaming match.
Have you seen the cheerleaders? 
Amazing what effect the right or wrong hairdo/clothes/eyeglasses can have on some people.
There was a blind kid in my high school’s show choir when I was in 8th grade. He could sing really well and they worked extra hard on teaching him hand movements and the steps “Gumby-Style” They would pose him like Gumby, bending his arms and legs, etc. as they taught him the steps. He was pretty good. Didn’t dance as well as others, but still danced good for someone who couldn’t see himself (or others) dancing.
No, you said “he’s also butt-ugly.” And it’s not like the actor and the character have different faces.
Don’t worry. Once he gets his episode, I’m sure Football Kid will take off the glasses and put up his hair, and you’ll realize he’s the prettiest boy in school. And we’ll all learn an important lesson about …
Actually, I’ve never seen one of those movies, so I’m not sure what the lesson will be. A surprise!