Join Us 6/22 at 11am ET: Re-imagining Inclusion, Equity, & Opportunity in Schools

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Re-imagining Inclusion in Schools: On the Anniversary of Olmstead v. LC

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 21, 2021

Historically and during the COVID-19 pandemic, students with disabilities, especially BIPOC students, are disproportionately segregated, punished, and policed in school settings. The pandemic has challenged school systems to be more flexible in restructuring the way education is delivered, including using strategies that would have previously seemed impossible. Join the Bazelon Center on Tuesday, June 22 at 11:00 AM ET as students, families, educators, advocates and other stakeholders across the nation regroup and reassess what education looks like, both in-person and online when students are included and receive equal educational opportunities. Register here.

This event will include individuals of all backgrounds--students, teachers, and government workers. The Bazelon Center is most honored and excited to have Monique L. Dixon from the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights give a federal agenda address. Other speakers include: Kristen Harper from Child Trends, Narell Joyner from The Child Welfare Group, MPH student Ebony Laboy, teacher Kadian Simmonds, and Special Education Administrator Marvin Mitchell. From the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, CEO, Holly O’Donnell, Legal Director, Ira Burnim, and Communications Manager, Jalyn Radziminski, will be speaking as well.

“For students with disabilities, education in an integrated classroom is not just a civil right – it’s where they belong and do better,” said Lewis Bossing, Senior Staff Attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. “Across the country, schools are educating students with disabilities in integrated classrooms by understanding their strengths and developing individualized supports to meet their needs. It is past time to end the discriminatory practices of separating students with disabilities from their non-disabled peers by employing educational practices that have been proven to work elsewhere.”

As this event is taking place on the anniversary of the 1999 Olmstead v LC Supreme Court decision, it is important to note that the Bazelon Center played a historic role in the case, predominantly by organizing amicus briefs to provide background to the Supreme Court around critical issues including: the long history of discrimination against people with mental disabilities; the broad support for community integration; and the cost-effectiveness of providing services in the community instead of institutional settings. Learn more about the Bazelon Center’s involvement in the Olmstead case here.

Other recent education work by the Bazelon Centers includes: Doe v. State of Ohio, Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, Katie A. v. Bonta, District 75, J.N. v. Oregon Department of Education, Georgia Advocacy Office et al. v. State of Georgia et al., Montgomery Public Schools (Alabama), and G.T. v. Kanawha County Schools.

ASL and captioning will be provided at the event. If you have questions about the event, how to register, or accessibility please contact communications@bazelon.org.

For further information, contact:

Jalyn Radziminski, Communications Manager

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

202-467-5730 x1333

jalynr@bazelon.org

See more about the speaker lineup below:

Monique L. Dixon serves as a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in the U.S. Education Department Office for Civil Rights. She has previously worked for nearly seven years at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) Inc., where she was a Deputy Director of Policy and Director of State Advocacy. Dixon is currently a member of the Bars of both Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Kristen Harper has worked at Child Trends for five years, where she currently serves as the Director of Policy Development and Outreach. She previously worked as the Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Department of Education for seven years. Harper is a nationally recognized expert on education policy, racial and ethnic disparities in education, school discipline policy, and school health and climate; she has been cited and quoted by The Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press, Politico, Education Week, U.S. News & World Report, and The 74, among other publications

Narell has forty-two years of experience working with children and adults in both the private and public human services field which includes the areas of mental health, developmental disabilities, special education, and child welfare. Her work includes consulting, coaching, and supervising case managers/caseworkers as they examine the process for strengths-based needs assessments, planning, and individualized service delivery for children, as well as conducting training for staff on wrap-around components.

Ebony Laboy was born and raised in Lakewood, NJ. In 2018 she graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Public Health at Montclair State University. Prior to furthering her studies in Public Health, she completed two years of service with Americorps in Bridgeport, CT. Currently Ebony is a 2nd year graduate student at Emory University studying for a Masters in Public Health.

Marvin Mitchell has been a special education teacher and administrator in Boston for over 35 years, specializing in improving the academic and social outcomes for students with emotional impairments. He developed a framework, called the Therapeutic Educational Milieu, for addressing the needs of students in their least restrictive environment. He believes that reimagining the structure and culture of a school requires escaping old ideas, so that students can thrive alongside their peers

Kadian Simmonds has said that her favorite part of being a teacher at the J.P. Manning Elementary School is building long-lasting relationships with her students. Over the past 8 years, Simmonds has impacted her community and demonstrated the abilities for which an education system strives. She provides realistic experiences and opportunities for her students through social studies units revolving around race and social justice. In all, Kadian Simmonds has become a great source for change in the American education system.

Ira Burnim is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School who joined the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law legal staff in 1988 and became the legal director in 1989. Formerly, Ira served as legal director of the Children’s Defense Fund, senior attorney at the Southern Poverty Law Center, and law clerk to Hon. Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Ira is also a member of the executive committee of the Disability Rights Bar Association.

Holly O’Donnell joined the Bazelon Center from America SCORES, a national youth development organization operating in urban public schools, where she served as the National Executive Director. Prior to her work at America SCORES, Holly served as the first leader of the After School Department for Pittsburgh Public Schools, overseeing all after school and mentoring programs and partnerships.

Jalyn Radziminski earned a BA in Linguistics and Interdisciplinary Studies with a Human Rights concentration from Emory University and now serves as the Communications Manager for the Bazelon Center. Much of their work is dedicated to advocating for voter rights, mental health for BIPOC communities, and accessibility for the Disability Community.

RSVP for this event here.