Wright challenges Weaver for Superintendent as federal cuts threaten special education
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The Trump administration is laying off 466 employees within the U.S. Department of Education — including all but three officials in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).
Sylvia Wright, a 20-year educator and now candidate for SC Superintendent of Education, was joined by community members with disabilities and concerned parents to address the effects these staffing and funding cuts may have on SC students and classrooms.
“The reduction of force within the Office of Education means that there are no longer people in place to make sure that our children with disabilities receive fair treatment, support in their schools and classes, funding for related services like speech therapy, counseling, and technology, transition services to prepare them for life after high school, and rights guaranteed to them by the ‘Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,” says Wright.
According to the Associated Press, the cuts play into Trump’s broader plan to shut down the Education Department and parcel its operations to other agencies.
Cor Le Blanc, who is legally blind, believes these cuts will deter individualized education programs, or IEDs, from being implemented properly.
“It also accommodated me with a Braille teacher to read and learn to write Braille, and an orientation and mobility instructor to teach me how to use a cane,” says Le Blanc.
Donovann Sumter believes protections for disabled students will crumble if the agency falls apart.
“We get denied accommodations, we get pushed into segregated classrooms, we get excluded from academic tracks, sports, field trips and sometimes from schools entirely,” he says, adding, “Without the office and staff, states and schools are left to interpret complex rules alone. And when that happens, history tells us the truth. Students with disabilities lose.”
Ashley Manley says her son Zeph, in the ninth grade, depends on IEDs to help him remain successful at school.
“We must invest in children with disabilities. They are the future of our communities,” she says.
ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams reached out to Superintendent Ellen Weaver and her team at the SC Department of Education and was sent a statement saying, “South Carolina remains unwavering in its commitment to students with disabilities and their families. There have been no changes to the ‘Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’ and funding is flowing as normal to South Carolina classrooms. The dedicated employees at the South Carolina Department of Education continue their work to partner with families, strengthen services, and provide support to help every student reach their full potential.”
However, Wright finds that SC consistently lacks in funding, staffing, and training for Special Education teachers — with data showing that 70% of disabled students in 3rd through 8th grade are reading below the required level.
“It is time for us to prioritize the needs of our children, instead of a political agenda. We must work together to protect the rights of students with disabilities, by providing equitable funding, accountability, and service, to ensure every child can learn and thrive in school and in life,” says Wright.
Approximately 112,000 SC students receive special education services under the IDEA.
