Is anybody there? Does anybody care?
The Trump administration his moving full force to dismantle the US Office of Education. Now Secretary McMahon is telling folks the new plan will be better. Advocates for people with disabilities aren’t buying the story.
First of all the Office for Civil Rights within the Education Department is being shut down and shifted to the Department of Justice. The Department has laid off the attorneys in the Office of Civil Rights. This year over 9000 complaints have been filed. Well over 7000 of these were resolved by simply dismissing them. The Department has also closed 7 of the 12 regional offices. Families can still complain to their state offices but it is usually the state departments of education against whom the complaints are made.
The law that established the Department of Education says that the Department is responsible for overseeing and funding the education of children with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) also gives that responsibility to the Department of Education.
Additionally, McMahon, has moved the program and funding issues regarding children with disabilities to Health and Human Services. It has taken years for advocates to move the education of kids with disabilities to a psychological and instructional model, not a medical one. Now moving programs to a department focusing on health is a step backward.
No one in the Trump administration has consulted Congress on the changes. Even though many see the moves as a violation of the two major laws. Even Democrats in Congress are barely noticing. The thing is very few folks, other than institutional advocates will even pay much attention to these changes which explains why McMahon can get away with it. And, of course, as a good sycophant she has Trumps full support.
Is anybody there? Does anybody care? Doesn’t seem so and then it will be too late.
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