In this powerful episode, Dr. Almitra Berry explores the critical challenges facing students with disabilities in the U.S. education system. She examines threats to IDEA and Medicaid funding, discusses potential impacts of Department of Education cuts, and provides actionable strategies for advocates to support students with special needs. Through personal stories and policy analysis, Dr. Berry highlights the urgent need to protect educational rights and services for vulnerable learners.
Join our community. Go to patreon.com/almitraberry and sign up for our weekly newsletter and exclusive content.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:00):
If you're a parent, teacher or school leader and
(00:03):
you're sick and tired of thefrustration, anger and unfair
treatment of children at highrisk in our public schools, then
perhaps it's time for all of usto do something about it. In
this podcast, Dr amitra Berrybrings you tips, tools,
strategies and tactics to buildsuccessful solutions while
(00:25):
touching, moving and inspiringall of us to transform our
schools so that every childthrives. Here's your host, Dr
Bay, welcome
Dr Almitra Berry (00:38):
back equity warriors. Thanks for tuning into
this week's episode of the threepodcast. Since we're celebrating
National disabilities month thisMarch, I want to kick off
today's show with something alittle heartwarming. How about a
little something from achildren's book that perfectly
captures the journey of a youngstudent discovering and
embracing her learningdisability. That story is called
(01:00):
your beautiful mind, and it's byZoe cozina, and it tells the
story of Penelope, the Panda, athird grader whose excitement
for school is challenged whenshe learns of a disability.
Through Penelope experiences,young readers witness the power
of perseverance, of support andself acceptance. This
(01:20):
beautifully crafted tale is anexcellent read aloud for early
learners, and it offers valuablelessons about diversity in
learning and the unique beautyof every mind. You know,
sometimes I just need a littlechildren's book to make me feel
good, because there is so muchcrap going on in this world, in
(01:41):
America, not the world as awhole, but definitely in
America. And since we're talkingabout disabilities, students
with disabilities, I just neededa little something good before
we get down to what's happeningwith the mango Mussolini and our
public schools. And I want todive into first, the foundation
of support for students withdisabilities, the individuals
(02:03):
with disabilities in education,Act or IDEA, and something we
don't often talk about in publiceducation, and that's the role
of Medicaid. These two policiesare not just policies. They are
pillars that make sure thatmillions of students across the
country receive the servicesthat they need to thrive
(02:24):
academically and socially. Buttoday, these two essential
programs face unprecedentedthreats. First, let's talk about
idea 1975 it was passed,reauthorized in 2004 idea
guarantees a free, appropriatepublic education and education
(02:44):
circles, we often call it a FAPEfor children with disabilities,
from birth through age 21usually in the school systems,
we're only dealing with K to 12,but it does span birth to 21 and
what this does is it requiresschools to provide tailored
services to meet each student'sneeds through an individual
(03:05):
education program orIndividualized Education
Program, an IEP in educatorspeak, we often talk in
acronyms, and maybe, if you'rean educator, maybe you've sat in
on an IEP or two. If you're aspecial educator, you've
probably written more than yourfair share of IEPs, but they are
created by a team. It includesthe parents, teachers,
(03:25):
specialists, and it makes surethat every single child as an
individual has a plan to succeedin school. Now, idea has been
transformative. It has enabledover 8 million students to
access specialized instructions,speech therapy, counseling and
more, but it also protectsstudents rights to be educated
alongside their peers wheneverpossible. We call that a least
(03:49):
restrictive environment. Sothat's pillar number one. Pillar
number two is Medicaid. Medicaiddoesn't just provide health
care. That's what they wouldhave you think Medicaid is a
critical funding source forschools to deliver services that
are outlined in a student's IEP.
Medicaid reimburses schools sothat they can offer speech
(04:11):
therapy, occupational therapy,mental health counseling, even
early intervention programs foryoung children with
developmental delays. Theseservices are vital for helping
young children build skills andconfidence early on. In
addition, Medicaid funding helpsschools hire and retain
specialized staff, you know,like speech therapists, speech
(04:34):
language pathologists, behaviortherapists to provide those
services that are needed. Buthere's the alarming part, the
bad part, the part that made meneed to read a children's story
to make me feel good before Isat down to do this episode, and
that is that both idea andMedicaid are under intense
(04:55):
threat federal funding forspecial. Education has always
fallen short of the promised 40%and it's left states and
districts always scam scramblingto fill that gap in funding. But
now the budget cuts that areproposed at the federal level
could slash Medicaid by $800billion and that would impact
(05:18):
over 37 million students whorely on Medicaid for essential
services. The tangerine tyrantsadministration has also gutted
the Department of Education'sworkforce by nearly 50% cut in
half, and that includes specialeducation experts who monitor
(05:39):
compliance with idea and nowwithout funding and oversight,
schools at the local level willbegin to struggle to provide
even basic support for studentswith disabilities. And if that
weren't enough, we are alsofacing a severe shortage of
special education teachers andearly intervention professionals
and I've talked about teachershortages. It's not just an
(06:02):
American national problem, it'sinternational But America is
being hit even harder because ofthe policies and politics that
are at play now. Nearly 65% ofAmerica's public schools already
report being understaffed. Inspecial education, there are
high workloads, there's burnout,there's low pay, and these
things are driving teachers outof the profession faster than we
(06:25):
can replace them. And to makematters even worse, federal
programs that are designed torecruit and train special
educators have been eliminated,so families now are waiting for
months or even years forservices that children
desperately need. These arelifelines folks idea and
(06:46):
Medicaid, they're lifelines forstudents with disabilities, and
they have been for decadeswithout adequate funding and a
workforce that can deliver theservices we risk failing our
most vulnerable learners. Thisisn't just a policy issue
people. It's a civil rightsissue, and as we look deeper
(07:07):
into the apricot autocratsadministration's education
policies, it's clear that theprimary goal is to reduce the
government's role in education,that's what they say. But let's
break this down. First, the oldgilded grifter has been vocal
about his intention to dismantlethe Department of Education
entirely. It wasn't justcampaign rhetoric people we are
(07:30):
seeing concrete steps towardsthis goal. The department's
workforce cut by 50% by the dogedespot, and that includes all
those experts who monitorcompliance. But there was also a
draft executive order that wasleaked calling for the
department's completedismantling. And now, while No,
he can't unilaterally abolish acabinet agency created by law,
(07:52):
he does seem determined tohollow it out from within. So
two fold strategy that looks tobe at play. One is to use
executive authority to eliminateas much of the department as
possible, and then two, bring inCongress and get their approval
for the rest of it. And we knowcongress is very dysfunctional
(08:12):
right now, and who knows whattricks they'll play, but this
approach is truly unprecedentedin both scope and determination.
Unlike previous calls to in theDepartment of Education, the
tangerine Tyrant is leveragingDoge to make it happen. So how
does that impact Special Edfirst reduced oversight since
(08:34):
the department Ed play ofDepartment of Ed plays such a
crucial role in enforcing theidea without that oversight,
states and schools might fail tomeet their obligations to
students with disabilities,either because they don't have
the workforce, or they don'thave the funding, or they just
don't give a rat spit. And Ihate to say or even think that
(08:57):
that could be a reason, butwe're already seeing that
happen. Number two, the fundingcuts that proposed budget cut,
slashing Medicaid by $800billion impacting more than 37
million children who rely on itfor essential services, could
force states and districts toallocate a larger share of their
(09:18):
limited budgets to special ed,potentially that would be at the
expense of other crucialeducational priorities, or they
might just make the might notmake the allocation to special
ed, leaving our students evenmore vulnerable. Number three,
we have this loss of expertisethe Department of Ed housed, I
(09:39):
have to use past tense nowhoused, a wealth of specialized
knowledge about implementingidea and protecting students
rights. With these functionsremoved or moved to a different
agency, so they've suggested itcould lead to a significant loss
of expertise and under. Standingthe complex laws around idea and
(10:00):
then without strong federalguidance and enforcement, we'll
see these disparities in specialed services across the states
begin or now continue to grow.
Some states might choose morerestrictive settings. Some
(10:24):
states might approve or suggestapproaches that don't align with
the long standing legalrequirements for integrating
students with disabilities, andof course, they're the threats
to civil rights, because theDepartment's Office of Civil
Rights has always played a vitalrole in protecting students with
disabilities fromdiscrimination, eliminating that
(10:46):
department, or removing theOffice of Civil Rights, or even
putting it into a differentdepartment, will leave these
students even more vulnerable.
Now, as you can imagine,disability advocates are raising
some serious concerns aboutthese changes. Denise Marshall,
who is CEO of the Council ofparent attorneys and advocates,
expressed a deep concern aboutthe administration's
(11:08):
understanding of its obligationsto protect students with
disabilities. There is worrythat without the Department of
Education, students and familiesmay lose critical supports and
protections that they arelegally entitled to. There's
also a lack of clear plans. Youshould be alarmed. I think we
were all alarmed by the vagueanswers provided by Linda
(11:31):
McMahon, the gilded Grifters,wholly unqualified Education
Secretary, regarding key federaleducation and disability laws,
something she clearly knowsabsolutely nothing about, and
there's no clear plan for howstudents rights under IDEA are
going to be protected when theyfinish dismantling that
department. We also know thatthere are potential service
disruptions. The NEA NationalEducation Association teachers
(11:54):
union has warned that studentscould face larger class sizes,
fewer resources for students atrisk, loss of vital services for
students with disabilities, anda rollback of basic civil rights
protections folks. All of thisis intertwined, and there's
significant concern about theproposal to convert title one
funding to a No Strings Attachedblock grant to states. And I
(12:15):
know I've spoken on that topicbefore, so again, we're talking
about reducing accountability,potentially less funding,
reaching the students who needit the most, and that includes
those with disabilities. Now thefull impact of these policies
yes remains to be seen, but itis clear that disability
advocates and education expertsare deeply concerned about the
potential consequences forstudents with disabilities this
(12:38):
dismantling of the Department ofEducation will lead to a
rollback, a significantrollback, of hard won rights and
protections, potentially leavingmillions and millions of
students without the supportthey need to succeed
academically and socially. Sothat's the broad political
landscape, but I want to takethis down to a real world
(13:02):
experience, an experience offamilies and of a community,
because this is what gives usthe real human cost of policy
change and highlights theresilience and advocacy efforts
of those people who are nowbeing impacted. So there's a
county, Bell County, Kentucky,by the way, they went for Trump,
84% 84% of their vote. BellCounty, Kentucky, rural
(13:29):
community, significantchallenges being faced because
of that federal educationfunding cut being being
proposed. The superintendentthere is a man by the name of
Tom gamble, and he described howlosing $600,000 in federal
funding could devastate hisschools. In Bell County, nearly
20% of students have specialneeds, and 1/3 of their students
(13:49):
live in poverty, which meansthey're qualifying for Title
One. So schools, there are notjust educational institutions,
as in many communities, theirschools are lifelines for
children. They provide meals,clothing and critical resources
for families that struggle witheconomic hardship and in this
case, an opioid crisis. Thesuperintendent gambrel explained
(14:12):
that even small fundingreductions would mean teacher
layoffs, larger class sizes,fewer resources for vulnerable
students. He shared how somechildren rely on schools for
their only meals of the day.
It's their only access to cleanclothes through family resource
centers. He stated, quote, If welose this funding, it's going to
(14:36):
mean fewer teachers and lessattention to our most vulnerable
students. So now, for acommunity that's already
grappling with poverty anddwindling resources and an
opioid crisis, we're talkingabout pushing their schools and
their students over the edge. Sowhat's an equity warrior to do?
Now? You all know I am all aboutstrategies and action, so it's
(14:58):
not just the back story, it'sthe Wendy. You do. So I'm going
to give you three, three actionsthat you can take to make a
difference for students withdisabilities. First and
foremost, Educate yourself.
Learn about the laws thatprotect students with
disabilities like idea, when youunderstand these rights, it's
the first step in advocatingeffectively. And then for more
in depth strategies on what todo. Read the culturally
(15:20):
competent educator. Y'all knowit's coming out, matter of fact,
in about a week. So if youdidn't already pre order, get on
pre order. Be part of the firstshipment. In my book, I give you
valuable tips for providing aninclusive education for children
with disabilities. But you doneed to know and understand the
rights and the law, and thenspeak up. Number two, speak up
(15:42):
if you see inequities orviolations of student rights.
Don't stay silent. You've heardme say it to be silent is to be
complicit. If you don't speak,you're signing on to the
nonsense. Contact your schoolboard. Contact your local state
representatives and statelegislators. Your voice can
drive change in policies andpractices that affect students
(16:03):
with disabilities, and then joinan advocacy group. There are
organizations like the Councilfor Exceptional Children, of
which I'm a member, and localdisability rights groups that
can amplify your voice andprovide resources by
collaborating with others, youcan create a united front for
positive change in specialeducation, remember, every
action, it doesn't matter howsmall it is, every action can
(16:28):
make a difference our children'sfutures depend on our
willingness to stand up andspeak out and not worry about
the things we cannot change, butto change the things that we can
no longer accept. So get to workand I'll see you next time. And
that's a wrap for today'sepisode of the 3e podcast. Now
(16:48):
here's how you can make a realdifference. First, smash that
subscribe button. It's free.
It's easy, just do it. Second,share the show with anyone you
know who cares about education.
And third, consider becoming asupporter of the show together.
We're not just talking aboutchange, we're making it happen.
Make a donation today to be partof that mission and change, and
(17:10):
I'll catch you next time you.
If you're a parent, teacher or school leader and
(00:03):
you're sick and tired of thefrustration, anger and unfair
treatment of children at highrisk in our public schools, then
perhaps it's time for all of usto do something about it. In
this podcast, Dr amitra Berrybrings you tips, tools,
strategies and tactics to buildsuccessful solutions while
(00:25):
touching, moving and inspiringall of us to transform our
schools so that every childthrives. Here's your host, Dr
Bay, welcome
Dr Almitra Berry (00:38):
back equity warriors. Thanks for tuning into
this week's episode of the threepodcast. Since we're celebrating
National disabilities month thisMarch, I want to kick off
today's show with something alittle heartwarming. How about a
little something from achildren's book that perfectly
captures the journey of a youngstudent discovering and
embracing her learningdisability. That story is called
(01:00):
your beautiful mind, and it's byZoe cozina, and it tells the
story of Penelope, the Panda, athird grader whose excitement
for school is challenged whenshe learns of a disability.
Through Penelope experiences,young readers witness the power
of perseverance, of support andself acceptance. This
(01:20):
beautifully crafted tale is anexcellent read aloud for early
learners, and it offers valuablelessons about diversity in
learning and the unique beautyof every mind. You know,
sometimes I just need a littlechildren's book to make me feel
good, because there is so muchcrap going on in this world, in
(01:41):
America, not the world as awhole, but definitely in
America. And since we're talkingabout disabilities, students
with disabilities, I just neededa little something good before
we get down to what's happeningwith the mango Mussolini and our
public schools. And I want todive into first, the foundation
of support for students withdisabilities, the individuals
(02:03):
with disabilities in education,Act or IDEA, and something we
don't often talk about in publiceducation, and that's the role
of Medicaid. These two policiesare not just policies. They are
pillars that make sure thatmillions of students across the
country receive the servicesthat they need to thrive
(02:24):
academically and socially. Buttoday, these two essential
programs face unprecedentedthreats. First, let's talk about
idea 1975 it was passed,reauthorized in 2004 idea
guarantees a free, appropriatepublic education and education
(02:44):
circles, we often call it a FAPEfor children with disabilities,
from birth through age 21usually in the school systems,
we're only dealing with K to 12,but it does span birth to 21 and
what this does is it requiresschools to provide tailored
services to meet each student'sneeds through an individual
(03:05):
education program orIndividualized Education
Program, an IEP in educatorspeak, we often talk in
acronyms, and maybe, if you'rean educator, maybe you've sat in
on an IEP or two. If you're aspecial educator, you've
probably written more than yourfair share of IEPs, but they are
created by a team. It includesthe parents, teachers,
(03:25):
specialists, and it makes surethat every single child as an
individual has a plan to succeedin school. Now, idea has been
transformative. It has enabledover 8 million students to
access specialized instructions,speech therapy, counseling and
more, but it also protectsstudents rights to be educated
alongside their peers wheneverpossible. We call that a least
(03:49):
restrictive environment. Sothat's pillar number one. Pillar
number two is Medicaid. Medicaiddoesn't just provide health
care. That's what they wouldhave you think Medicaid is a
critical funding source forschools to deliver services that
are outlined in a student's IEP.
Medicaid reimburses schools sothat they can offer speech
(04:11):
therapy, occupational therapy,mental health counseling, even
early intervention programs foryoung children with
developmental delays. Theseservices are vital for helping
young children build skills andconfidence early on. In
addition, Medicaid funding helpsschools hire and retain
specialized staff, you know,like speech therapists, speech
(04:34):
language pathologists, behaviortherapists to provide those
services that are needed. Buthere's the alarming part, the
bad part, the part that made meneed to read a children's story
to make me feel good before Isat down to do this episode, and
that is that both idea andMedicaid are under intense
(04:55):
threat federal funding forspecial. Education has always
fallen short of the promised 40%and it's left states and
districts always scam scramblingto fill that gap in funding. But
now the budget cuts that areproposed at the federal level
could slash Medicaid by $800billion and that would impact
(05:18):
over 37 million students whorely on Medicaid for essential
services. The tangerine tyrantsadministration has also gutted
the Department of Education'sworkforce by nearly 50% cut in
half, and that includes specialeducation experts who monitor
(05:39):
compliance with idea and nowwithout funding and oversight,
schools at the local level willbegin to struggle to provide
even basic support for studentswith disabilities. And if that
weren't enough, we are alsofacing a severe shortage of
special education teachers andearly intervention professionals
and I've talked about teachershortages. It's not just an
(06:02):
American national problem, it'sinternational But America is
being hit even harder because ofthe policies and politics that
are at play now. Nearly 65% ofAmerica's public schools already
report being understaffed. Inspecial education, there are
high workloads, there's burnout,there's low pay, and these
things are driving teachers outof the profession faster than we
(06:25):
can replace them. And to makematters even worse, federal
programs that are designed torecruit and train special
educators have been eliminated,so families now are waiting for
months or even years forservices that children
desperately need. These arelifelines folks idea and
(06:46):
Medicaid, they're lifelines forstudents with disabilities, and
they have been for decadeswithout adequate funding and a
workforce that can deliver theservices we risk failing our
most vulnerable learners. Thisisn't just a policy issue
people. It's a civil rightsissue, and as we look deeper
(07:07):
into the apricot autocratsadministration's education
policies, it's clear that theprimary goal is to reduce the
government's role in education,that's what they say. But let's
break this down. First, the oldgilded grifter has been vocal
about his intention to dismantlethe Department of Education
entirely. It wasn't justcampaign rhetoric people we are
(07:30):
seeing concrete steps towardsthis goal. The department's
workforce cut by 50% by the dogedespot, and that includes all
those experts who monitorcompliance. But there was also a
draft executive order that wasleaked calling for the
department's completedismantling. And now, while No,
he can't unilaterally abolish acabinet agency created by law,
(07:52):
he does seem determined tohollow it out from within. So
two fold strategy that looks tobe at play. One is to use
executive authority to eliminateas much of the department as
possible, and then two, bring inCongress and get their approval
for the rest of it. And we knowcongress is very dysfunctional
(08:12):
right now, and who knows whattricks they'll play, but this
approach is truly unprecedentedin both scope and determination.
Unlike previous calls to in theDepartment of Education, the
tangerine Tyrant is leveragingDoge to make it happen. So how
does that impact Special Edfirst reduced oversight since
(08:34):
the department Ed play ofDepartment of Ed plays such a
crucial role in enforcing theidea without that oversight,
states and schools might fail tomeet their obligations to
students with disabilities,either because they don't have
the workforce, or they don'thave the funding, or they just
don't give a rat spit. And Ihate to say or even think that
(08:57):
that could be a reason, butwe're already seeing that
happen. Number two, the fundingcuts that proposed budget cut,
slashing Medicaid by $800billion impacting more than 37
million children who rely on itfor essential services, could
force states and districts toallocate a larger share of their
(09:18):
limited budgets to special ed,potentially that would be at the
expense of other crucialeducational priorities, or they
might just make the might notmake the allocation to special
ed, leaving our students evenmore vulnerable. Number three,
we have this loss of expertisethe Department of Ed housed, I
(09:39):
have to use past tense nowhoused, a wealth of specialized
knowledge about implementingidea and protecting students
rights. With these functionsremoved or moved to a different
agency, so they've suggested itcould lead to a significant loss
of expertise and under. Standingthe complex laws around idea and
(10:00):
then without strong federalguidance and enforcement, we'll
see these disparities in specialed services across the states
begin or now continue to grow.
Some states might choose morerestrictive settings. Some
(10:24):
states might approve or suggestapproaches that don't align with
the long standing legalrequirements for integrating
students with disabilities, andof course, they're the threats
to civil rights, because theDepartment's Office of Civil
Rights has always played a vitalrole in protecting students with
disabilities fromdiscrimination, eliminating that
(10:46):
department, or removing theOffice of Civil Rights, or even
putting it into a differentdepartment, will leave these
students even more vulnerable.
Now, as you can imagine,disability advocates are raising
some serious concerns aboutthese changes. Denise Marshall,
who is CEO of the Council ofparent attorneys and advocates,
expressed a deep concern aboutthe administration's
(11:08):
understanding of its obligationsto protect students with
disabilities. There is worrythat without the Department of
Education, students and familiesmay lose critical supports and
protections that they arelegally entitled to. There's
also a lack of clear plans. Youshould be alarmed. I think we
were all alarmed by the vagueanswers provided by Linda
(11:31):
McMahon, the gilded Grifters,wholly unqualified Education
Secretary, regarding key federaleducation and disability laws,
something she clearly knowsabsolutely nothing about, and
there's no clear plan for howstudents rights under IDEA are
going to be protected when theyfinish dismantling that
department. We also know thatthere are potential service
disruptions. The NEA NationalEducation Association teachers
(11:54):
union has warned that studentscould face larger class sizes,
fewer resources for students atrisk, loss of vital services for
students with disabilities, anda rollback of basic civil rights
protections folks. All of thisis intertwined, and there's
significant concern about theproposal to convert title one
funding to a No Strings Attachedblock grant to states. And I
(12:15):
know I've spoken on that topicbefore, so again, we're talking
about reducing accountability,potentially less funding,
reaching the students who needit the most, and that includes
those with disabilities. Now thefull impact of these policies
yes remains to be seen, but itis clear that disability
advocates and education expertsare deeply concerned about the
potential consequences forstudents with disabilities this
(12:38):
dismantling of the Department ofEducation will lead to a
rollback, a significantrollback, of hard won rights and
protections, potentially leavingmillions and millions of
students without the supportthey need to succeed
academically and socially. Sothat's the broad political
landscape, but I want to takethis down to a real world
(13:02):
experience, an experience offamilies and of a community,
because this is what gives usthe real human cost of policy
change and highlights theresilience and advocacy efforts
of those people who are nowbeing impacted. So there's a
county, Bell County, Kentucky,by the way, they went for Trump,
84% 84% of their vote. BellCounty, Kentucky, rural
(13:29):
community, significantchallenges being faced because
of that federal educationfunding cut being being
proposed. The superintendentthere is a man by the name of
Tom gamble, and he described howlosing $600,000 in federal
funding could devastate hisschools. In Bell County, nearly
20% of students have specialneeds, and 1/3 of their students
(13:49):
live in poverty, which meansthey're qualifying for Title
One. So schools, there are notjust educational institutions,
as in many communities, theirschools are lifelines for
children. They provide meals,clothing and critical resources
for families that struggle witheconomic hardship and in this
case, an opioid crisis. Thesuperintendent gambrel explained
(14:12):
that even small fundingreductions would mean teacher
layoffs, larger class sizes,fewer resources for vulnerable
students. He shared how somechildren rely on schools for
their only meals of the day.
It's their only access to cleanclothes through family resource
centers. He stated, quote, If welose this funding, it's going to
(14:36):
mean fewer teachers and lessattention to our most vulnerable
students. So now, for acommunity that's already
grappling with poverty anddwindling resources and an
opioid crisis, we're talkingabout pushing their schools and
their students over the edge. Sowhat's an equity warrior to do?
Now? You all know I am all aboutstrategies and action, so it's
(14:58):
not just the back story, it'sthe Wendy. You do. So I'm going
to give you three, three actionsthat you can take to make a
difference for students withdisabilities. First and
foremost, Educate yourself.
Learn about the laws thatprotect students with
disabilities like idea, when youunderstand these rights, it's
the first step in advocatingeffectively. And then for more
in depth strategies on what todo. Read the culturally
(15:20):
competent educator. Y'all knowit's coming out, matter of fact,
in about a week. So if youdidn't already pre order, get on
pre order. Be part of the firstshipment. In my book, I give you
valuable tips for providing aninclusive education for children
with disabilities. But you doneed to know and understand the
rights and the law, and thenspeak up. Number two, speak up
(15:42):
if you see inequities orviolations of student rights.
Don't stay silent. You've heardme say it to be silent is to be
complicit. If you don't speak,you're signing on to the
nonsense. Contact your schoolboard. Contact your local state
representatives and statelegislators. Your voice can
drive change in policies andpractices that affect students
(16:03):
with disabilities, and then joinan advocacy group. There are
organizations like the Councilfor Exceptional Children, of
which I'm a member, and localdisability rights groups that
can amplify your voice andprovide resources by
collaborating with others, youcan create a united front for
positive change in specialeducation, remember, every
action, it doesn't matter howsmall it is, every action can
(16:28):
make a difference our children'sfutures depend on our
willingness to stand up andspeak out and not worry about
the things we cannot change, butto change the things that we can
no longer accept. So get to workand I'll see you next time. And
that's a wrap for today'sepisode of the 3e podcast. Now
(16:48):
here's how you can make a realdifference. First, smash that
subscribe button. It's free.
It's easy, just do it. Second,share the show with anyone you
know who cares about education.
And third, consider becoming asupporter of the show together.
We're not just talking aboutchange, we're making it happen.
Make a donation today to be partof that mission and change, and
(17:10):
I'll catch you next time you.
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