Friday, March 31, 2017, 2:30 pm PDT, KPFA
Josh Elwood talks with Mitch Jeserich about President Trump’s attitude toward disability. Then, we seek out disabled and deaf artists in South Africa with Leroy F. Moore Jr. and Simon Manda.
Leroy F. Moore Jr is the founder of Krip Hop Nation. He recently visited seven South African cities with Simon Manda, the cofounder of THISABILITY, a South African newspaper covering the disabled community.
Mitch Jeserich is host of KPFA’s Letters and Politics.
We also discuss HB 610 a bill that funds a huge attack on public education in the form of voucher programs by directly de-funding education for children with disabilities.  Here’s the details of that.  Tell your congress people to vote “NO”.  The congressional switchboard is: 202-224-3121.
Here’s some of the details:
Republican attack on Kids with Disabilities & Public Schools – HB 610
The school voucher system proposed by Education secretary Betsy DeVos does not mean you can choose any school you want your kid to go to. It means the public education program will be dismantled.
If your child has an IEP (individual education plan for students with special needs), kiss it goodbye.
If you have a job in special-education, if you’re a special education teacher, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist, a para, a teacher’s aid, or an ESL (English as a second language) teacher, you’ll go first.
House Bill 610 makes some large changes. Inform yourselves. This bill will effectively start the school voucher system to be used by children ages 5-17 and starts the defunding process of public schools.
The bill will eliminate the Elementary and Education Act of 1965, which is the nation’s educational law that provides equal opportunity in education. ESSA is a big comprehensive program that covers programs for struggling learners, advanced and gifted kids in AP classes, ESL classes, classes for minorities such as Native Americans, Rural Education, Education for the Homeless, School Safety (Gun-Free schools), Monitoring and Compliance, and Federal Accountability Programs.
The Bill also abolishes the Nutritional Act of 2012 (No Hungry Kids Act) which provides nutritional standards in school breakfast and lunch.
The bill has no wording whatsoever protecting Special Needs kids, no mention of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education).
Here are some things ESSA does for Children with Disabilities. These things would be repealed and de-funded:
-Ensures access to the general education curriculum.
-Ensures access to accommodations on assessments.
-Ensures concepts of Universal Design for Learning.
-Includes provisions that require local education agencies to provide evidence-based interventions in schools with consistently underperforming subgroups.
-Requires states in Title I plans to address how they will improve conditions for learning including reducing incidents of bullying and harassment in schools, overuse of discipline practices and reduce the use of aversive behavioral interventions (such as restraints and seclusion).
Organize in your school and community to resist this disastrous proposal. Say NO to HB 610.
Produced and hosted by Adrienne Lauby.
Original air date: 3-21-17
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