Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
In this famous case, the Supreme Court ruled that education is a fundamental function of the government and that everyone has equal rights to reap its benefits. The Court found that racial segregation of schools is in direct violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This case was centered around racially segregated schools, but it also spelled change for children with disabilities. If a child cannot be discriminated against because he or she is black, then a child cannot be discriminated against because he or she has a disability. This bit of legislation opened the door for millions of exceptional children across America.
In the same vein as Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's helped cement disabled childrens' right to be in a classroom. People across America fought for the right to be seen as a valuable, equal citizen, and the impact was huge. At the same time that Dr. King was leading crowds through the streets of Selma, Alabama, individuals across the country were fighting for the rights of the disabled. (Gargiulo 44)
These are extremely important points to remember as an educator. Every child is unique and every child deserves the same education. For years and years people were classified and thought of differently because of the color of their skin. What happens on the inside can be more powerful, harder to comprehend and harder to forgive than what happens on the outside, but none of that matters when it comes down to a child who has no choice but to be the way they are, and that child's right to grow, learn, and be all they can be.
In the same vein as Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's helped cement disabled childrens' right to be in a classroom. People across America fought for the right to be seen as a valuable, equal citizen, and the impact was huge. At the same time that Dr. King was leading crowds through the streets of Selma, Alabama, individuals across the country were fighting for the rights of the disabled. (Gargiulo 44)
These are extremely important points to remember as an educator. Every child is unique and every child deserves the same education. For years and years people were classified and thought of differently because of the color of their skin. What happens on the inside can be more powerful, harder to comprehend and harder to forgive than what happens on the outside, but none of that matters when it comes down to a child who has no choice but to be the way they are, and that child's right to grow, learn, and be all they can be.