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Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights of Act of 1866 was the first federal law stating that all citizens are equal under the law. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The U.S. supreme court decision upheld racial segregation as constitutional because it was "separate but equal". -
Brown v. Board of Education
A unanimous supreme court ruling that declared racial segregation in school unconstitutional. Brown v. Board sets the precedent for future disability rights legislation. -
Elementary as Secondary Education Act
Signed into law by President Lyndon B Johnson, ESEA offered to fund special education centers amongst other efforts to improve elementary and secondary education. -
First Special Olympics World Games
Held in Chicago the first Special Olympics hosted 1,000 athletes from the U.S. and Canada. -
The Willowbrook Lawsuit
Following an exposé by journalist Geraldo Rivera, parents of residents of Willowbrook State School filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that the institution violated their children's constitutional rights. Overcrowding and neglect led to dangerous and dehumanizing conditions. -
The Center for Independent Living
Student activists Ed Roberts, Hale Zukas, and Jan McEwan Brown pushed U.C. Berkeley to become a fully accessible campus. Additionally, they were part of the independent living movement of the 1960s and helped establish The Center of Independent Living. -
Mills v. Board of Education
The court's decision stated that the board of education must provide free public education or a suitable alternative paid for by the board to students with disabilities regardless of their needs or the cost. -
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Rehabilitation Act of 1973 & 504 Sit-Ins
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability in federal programs. As of 1977 Section, 504 regulations had not been enforced. Disability justice activists demonstrated in San Francisco by entering the Health, Education, and Welfare Department's office. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This act for the first time required that federally funded public schools provide equal access to education to students with disabilities. Before this students with disabilities were often turned away from public schools and told to learn at home. -
Baby Doe Amendment to the Child Abuse Law
States receiving federal funding must create procedures to report medical neglect. The amendment came after the death of newborns whose parents refused standard medical treatment because the babies had developmental disabilities. -
Fair Housing Act (Amended)
People with disabilities seeking housing cannot be discriminated against. -
Deaf President Now
Gallaudet University students protested the lack of Deaf representation at their institution. The demonstration began when the student body's urging for a Deaf president was ignored. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all facets of public life, such as employment, transportation, public services, and telecommunications; for example, federally funded public service announcements must have captions. -
Tracking
At age 8, I am tracked into special education classes based on my visual perception skills and my reading performance. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)
Reauthorized in 2004, IDEA was also significantly revised, including the new requirements for "highly qualified" special education teachers. -
Educational Advocate
I worked at a non-profit supporting students in foster care with their educational goals. I attended IEP meetings as a member of their support team that often included case managers, parents, and foster parents. -
Disability Justice Education
In an effort to learn more about disability justice, I attend performances by the art collective SINS INVALID and read the works of Eli Clare, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Mia Mingus. -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
ESSA similar to its predecessor NCLB aims to close educational achievement gaps through standardized testing. -
My Classroom
I am currently working with students who require a variety of accommodations based on their IEPs and 504s. I aim to work from a universal design perspective.