I'm looking at a section of the US Commission on Civil Rights report on the BushCo record every weekday until the election. The report is largely critical of BushCo and although it is posted at the commission's website, easily understood and meticulously sourced, the corporate press has decided not have anything to do with it until after the election, when the commission will officially discuss their work.
In the time-honored tradition of Friday news dumps, I thought I'd post about the Individuals with Disablities section of the report late on a Friday night. (I've been busy with mom stuff all day). Why this section now? Because it's the only one I've found that gives BushCo a passing grade. Here's what the AP said about it: The report said, however, that Mr. Bush is committed to help people with disabilities ... "
Actually, the report says that BushCo is not only committed, but also following through on that committment, which is rare for him. For instance, he created the New Freedom Initiative that is designed to improve on his father's Americans with Disabilities Act:
Through NFI the administration shows it recognizes the critical needs of individuals with disabilities. NFI is an example of an effective multi-agency effort that reflects the administration’s commitment. The effort builds on the momentum created by the ADA, especially to reach out more effectively to the disability rights community and bring attention to remaining obstacles to equal access.
But BushCo's record isn't all sunshine and smiles, full funding and committment. It's also inadequate funding and inexplicable animosity to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA was the 1975 brainchild of Ford's administration. It's goal was to afford to all children a public education that met their individual needs. Special needs kids were finally officially included in the arena of public education. IDEA was reauthorized and strengthened in 1997 and was supposed to be renewed in 2002. BushCo allowed it to languish in Congress and created the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education (PCESE), which was supposed to study federal, state and local special ed. Nothing like a committee to stall a process, which is what happened.
Clearly, the USCCR thinks the BushCo efforts in the direction of Special Ed are mixed:
The Bush administration has generally demonstrated commitment to improving special education. In his 2002 and 2003 budgets, President Bush requested $1 billion increases in funding for special education, the largest ever proposed. He also proposed an increase of $1 billion in grants to states for 2005, but level or reduced funding for other IDEA provisions, such as personnel preparation, parent information centers, preschool grants, and research. Moreover, in his 2005 budget proposal, President Bush recommends eliminating 38 DOEd programs, among them dropout prevention, school counseling, and smaller learning community programs, to save $1.4 billion. He recommends that the services they provide be funded through flexible grant programs. Many of these programs serve students with disabilities.Although establishing PCESE constitutes a commitment to examining special education, some of PCESE’s recommendations oppose those of organizations working most closely with special education children. Moreover, the federal government has not fully implemented the changes Congress made to IDEA in 1997, and thus should be cautious about further sweeping changes. These caveats demand that the Bush administration fully fund IDEA and carefully examine whether changing IDEA before entirely implementing existing provisions will hinder progress.
From this report, that's a rave! I'm not sure what the deal with BushCo and IDEA. I'm inclined to believe that provisions in it don't allow him to privatize education and destroy teachers unions, which are the twin goals of his education policy. It's something to keep an eye on if, heaven forbid, he is elected.
Other posts in this series:
Environmental Justice
Voting Rights
Fair Housing
Native American Rights
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