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Brown v. Board of Education
In this 1954 case, the Supreme Court ruled that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Essentially, this case deemed that racial segregation within schools was unconstitutional. This decision laid the groundwork for future cases that would require for children with disabilities to have access to public education. This was important because it pushed for inclusive classrooms. https://www.acslaw.org/expertforum/the-meaning-of-brown-for-children-with-disabilities/ -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Essentially, the attorney who represented PARC filed a case on behalf of children who had been denied access to a public education due to their disabilities. The ruling said that Pennsylvania was responsible for providing free public education to all kids. This case was major because it was the first to ensure that students with disabilities would have free education.It also led to other cases that involved the fight for educational equality. Https://disabilityjustice.org/right-to-education/ -
Handicapped Children’s Protection Act
In 1986 President Reagan signed the Handicapped Children’s Protection Act into law. This stated that public schools receiving federal funding must provide equal access to education and food programs to children with disabilities. This was important because it gave parents control over their child’s IEP plan and allowed them to contest it. It also provided programs for infants and toddlers and provided support for them. https://www.craftlegal.com/2016/11/08/handicapped-childrens-protection-act/ -
Public Law 94-142 Revision (Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act)
In 2004 there was a revision made to PL 94-142 which was passed in 1975. It essentially determined that children with disabilities have access to a free public education as well as other services, like speech therapy, that they may need. This was important because it determined that schools must provide children with services to help them succeed in school. It also gave parents a voice in their child’s education allowing for them to advocate for them. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/
