We need to talk about the lawsuit threatening Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the rights of people with disabilities.
Section 504 is "American legislation that guarantees certain rights to people with disabilities." It was one of the first federal civil rights laws in the United States that offered protection for the disabled and "prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity that receives financial assistance from any federal agency." Section 504 is especially important for education because it helps ensure that "students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities."
Recently, 17 states came together and filed a lawsuit, Texas v Becerra, that sues the U.S. government and claims that Section 504 is unconstitutional and, therefore, unlawful. The states want Section 504 removed completely, which would be catastrophic for the disabled community and greatly impact the educational experience of students with disabilities.
If you live in one of the 17 states trying to take down Section 504 (see below), contact your Attorney General and demand that they protect the law, not remove it. Stress the importance of Section 504 and the many negative repercussions the disabled community would face if it were gone. Remind them that everyone will become disabled at some point in their life, so we should all care about the continued existence and enforcement of Section 504.
The states participating in Texas v Becerra are:
