The state of Texas has essentially controlled her son’s life since he was 11. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department was supposed to keep him safe and help him get better. It has failed at every turn. It started with the cuts — dozens of angry slices on his forearms. It was December 2020, and the… Continue reading “A mother watches helplessly as her teenage boy deteriorates in a Texas youth prison”
A federal lawsuit filed against Donna ISD by nonprofit advocacy group Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) claims the district failed to turn over records on the alleged abuse of disabled students. The group claims it received multiple complaints of possible abuse and neglect by school staff of children with disabilities who were students during the 2021-2022… Continue reading “Disability group sues Donna ISD for records on alleged abuse”
Texans who assist voters with disabilities or those with limited English to fill out their ballots will no longer face felony charges if they go beyond simply helping the person mark or read them. The provisions were part of the controversial elections bill passed by the Republican-majority Texas Legislature last year, Senate Bill 1. A federal judge… Continue reading “Court blocks new restrictions on voters’ assistants in Texas”
Parts of a 2021 Texas voting law that cracked down on assistance for voters with limited English skills and voters with disabilities can no longer be enforced. A federal judge in Texas issued a ruling last month striking down provisions in Texas’ new law, known as Senate Bill 1, that set limits on how people can help voters… Continue reading “Texas is barred from enforcing new restrictions on voter assistance”
North Texas school districts rarely provide special education resources in Spanish causing some dual language kids to slip through the cracks. Continue reading “Many local bilingual special ed kids are cheated by schools. Here’s how it happens”
Excerpt: In T.O. v. Fort Bend Independent School District (Case No. 21-1014), lawyers for the family had urged the justices to take up the case because federal courts of appeals were divided about when and how public school students may assert federal constitutional claims alleging excessive force by school officials. A coalition of disability rights groups, in a friend-of-the-court brief in support… Continue reading “Supreme Court Denies Appeal From 1st Grader With Disabilities Put In Chokehold by Teacher”
Excerpt: Gathering your financial and personal documents can be almost as important as having a stocked hurricane kit well before June 1. “[Preparing] in an event is not going to lead to an efficient response or recovery,” said Stephanie Duke, a lawyer with Disability Rights Texas who works on disaster recovery issues. Putting your important… Continue reading “‘Make copies of everything’: Documents to have in case of a hurricane”
Excerpt: Though disruptions continue and statutes of limitations on missed services have yet to expire in some places, a lawsuit spike hasn’t materialized. Texas schools also opened up for in-person learning earlier than several other states, Rynders added. “I haven’t really seen a real thirst for wanting to litigate the amount of compensatory services for… Continue reading “Remote learning special ed litigation lower than expected”
Disability rights advocates say the state has not provided enough guidance about the type of help people with disabilities can and cannot receive under new voting laws passed last year. Continue reading “Texans with disabilities fear new restrictions on voting help could mean criminal charges at the polls”
Excerpt: “A back-and-forth between Texas elections officials over ‘high’ levels of rejected mail-in ballot applications has left advocates worried about the impact on elderly or disabled voters.” Continue reading “Rejected mail-in ballot applications have advocates worried about impact on elderly, disabled voters”