To the editor,
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is a wide-ranging civil rights law that is intended to protect against discrimination based on disability. This law guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life — to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in state and local government programs and services (www.ada.org). This includes access to schools and education.
It’s no secret. We have two children. Our son is 2-1/2 and our daughter is 3 months old. Our daughter is strong, healthy and easy going. Our son is busy, silly and smart – he knows his alphabet, he knows numbers one through ten, he knows four colors and five shapes. He also happens to have Down syndrome. Down syndrome is not the most important thing about our son – until you start talking about a school that is not ADA compliant or fully handicap accessible. What kind of physical handicap will he have as he grows? Only time will tell.
The buildings in our school district are old. They were built in a time when not much consideration was given towards handicap accessibility. Our school district has done its very best to create handicap accessibility thus far. There are chair lifts on the stairs to get students with handicaps from the first floor to the second and back again. Currently, the second and third floors of the Intermediate School are not accessible by ramp/lift to someone with mobility issues.
In both buildings, the lifts are slow and the students have to leave class early to make it to the next class on time. This is missed class time and missed learning opportunity for the students. The school district has done what they can with what they have to create accessible schools. There is only so much that can be done in century old buildings. This is our opportunity, as a community, to provide better.
There is a wide range of disabilities present in the community. Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injuries are just a few. Accidents happen. Debilitating illnesses happen. People need crutches, walkers, canes and wheelchairs. Nobody expects to have a disability but we need to plan for it and have proper accommodations when the need arises.
Are children with disabilities or mobility issues the majority of the population? No. But their education and access to education is just as important as the next child’s. As parents (any parent), it is our job to advocate for inclusion, acceptance and make sure our children have their needs met. This includes having full access to their educational facilities so they can participate, be included and receive the best education available.
The new school in the bond would provide buildings that are fully ADA compliant and fully handicap accessible. If you have studied the blueprints, you will see there is a second floor in the high school. This will be accessible by elevator. An elevator will be more efficient than a chair lift on the stairs. It will transport more people, more quickly. This will eliminate the need for students to leave class early, thus reducing the time of missed classroom instruction. In the new school, everything from the entrances to the classrooms, music and art areas, bathrooms, and gym would be accessible to people of all abilities. This is not a want – it is a need. Not just for our own community members, but for all who visit our school.
These old buildings have done a great job in their lifetime. A lot of great people have walked (or wheeled) the halls and received a great education. We should all be proud of that. However, the time has come for us to move forward and provide better spaces for the next generations – regardless of their abilities.
Tanner and Amber Lawton, Jefferson
