When Progress Stalls: Kids' Disability Rights in Limbo

Parents like Christine Smith Olsey faced a tough time when they tried to get help for their kids with disabilities. Olsey's son was struggling in school, and she knew something wasn't right. She asked for extra help, but the school didn't listen. So, she filed a complaint with the state and then with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights. But just as her case was about to move forward, everything stopped. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights usually helps kids with disabilities get the support they need. But when a new president took office, things changed. Investigations and mediations for disability rights cases came to a halt. This wasn't unusual for a new administration, but it was worrying for parents who needed help right away. The Education Department has a big job. It has to make sure schools follow the law and give kids with disabilities the support they need. But when the new administration took over, they focused on other things. They started looking into complaints about antisemitism and transgender athletes in sports. But what about the kids who needed help right away? Parents were left wondering if the government still cared about their kids' rights. The freeze on disability cases left families like Olsey's in limbo. Her son has ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. He needs extra help, but the school didn't give it to him. Now, she's fighting to get him the support he needs and make up for the time he went without it. The Education Department received a lot of complaints about disability rights between 2021 and 2024. But the number of cases kept growing, while the number of staff to handle them kept shrinking. This made parents and advocates worried about the future of the department's role in protecting kids' rights. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights is supposed to help kids with disabilities get the support they need. But when the new administration took over, they suggested that another department could take over that work. This left families feeling outraged and adrift. DarNisha Hardaway's son has an intellectual disability, autism, and epilepsy. He was suspended from school, and she filed a complaint with the Education Department. They found that the school needed to reevaluate him and provide tutoring. But when the school didn't follow through, she was told to contact the Office for Civil Rights again. But they couldn't help her. Tylisa Guyton's son was suspended from school and hasn't been able to return. She filed a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, but she hasn't heard anything back. She's worried that her son won't be able to graduate on time.