In the News

Rolling Back Rights for Students

Author Scott Sargrad criticizes Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for failing to protect the rights of children with disabilities.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos officially proposed a two-year delay of an Obama-era rule aimed at addressing disproportionate identification of students of color for special education – and disproportionate discipline of these students. This delay has been in the works for months, and if you read the notification closely, it’s clear that DeVos doesn’t just want to delay the rule – she wants to scrap it altogether.

At her confirmation hearing last year, DeVos famously botched questions about students with disabilities and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. When asked about whether she would enforce the law, she said it was “best left to the states.” Later in the hearing, she said she was “confused” about the law. But her rollback of this regulation confirms her original statement: She thinks protecting the rights of children with disabilities is not in her job description.

The above excerpt was originally published in U.S News & World Report. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

Scott Sargrad

Vice President, K-12 Education Policy