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Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges is the first African American to attend William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans as a first grader. She becomes a class of one due to the rest of the students being removed by their parents. This is important to history in education because it is one of the first acts of desegregating public classrooms and working towards ending racism which is still an issue to this day. -
The Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act becomes law. It prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin. This is important because to this day a major topic throughout society is racism and this is a beginning act towards working against racism. -
the Hart-Cellar Act
Lyndon Johnson signs the Immigration Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Cellar Act, on October.3rd. It abolishes the National Origins Formula and results in unprecedented numbers of Asians and Latin Americans immigrating to the United States, making America's classrooms much more diverse. This is important because before this most acts of working against racism were only with African American students. -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Pennsylvania
In the case of Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Pennsylvania, the federal court rules that students with mental retardation are entitled to a free public education. This is important because along side racism in schools, discrimination against students with mental disabilities is something that is still being improved on today. -
Mills v. the Board of Education of Washington, D.C.
The case of Mills v. the Board of Education of Washington, D.C. extends the PARC v. Pennsylvania ruling to other students with disabilities and requires the provision of "adequate alternative educational services suited to the child's needs, which may include special education . . ." This is an important event in Educations history because there are many different needs of all students and not all kids with mental disabilities have the same needs. -
Racial Integration in Boston, MA
Federal Judge Arthur Garrity orders busing of African American students to predominantly white schools in order to achieve racial integration of public schools in Boston, MA. White parents protest, particularly in South Boston. This is an important event because it is continuing to try and normalize integrated classrooms. -
The Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) becomes federal law
It requires that a free, appropriate public education, suited to the student's individual needs, and offered in the least restrictive setting be provided for all "handicapped" children. States are given until 1978 (later extended to 1981) to fully implement the law. This is important because every student deserves a free education offered to them no matter their race or mental disability. -
The Refugee Act of 1980 is signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
Building on the Immigration Act of 1965, it reforms immigration law to admit refugees for humanitarian reasons and results in the resettlement of more than three-million refugees in the United States including many children who bring special needs and issues to their classrooms. This is important because rather than one area of the United States having these immigrants, the whole US had them in their classrooms which could help to get everyone to be more accepting. -
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) becomes law
Essentially a civil rights law, it prohibits discrimination against those with disabilities in all areas, including education. This is important because these students cannot help that they have these disabilities and it allows them to be more accepted. -
Columbine Shooting
two Columbine High School students go on a killing spree that leaves 15 dead and 23 wounded at the Littleton, Colorado school, making it the nations' deadliest school shooting incident. Though schools tighten safety procedures as a result of the Columbine massacre, school shootings continue to occur at an alarming rate. This event shows the world a new view on gun laws and sparks an important conversation nationwide on gun laws. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEA 2004)
This reauthorizes and modifies IDEA. Changes, in effect on July 1, 2005, include modifications in the IEP process and procedural safeguards, increased authority for school personnel in special education placement decisions, and alignment of IDEA with the No Child Left Behind Act. The 2004 reauthorization also requires school districts to use the RTI approach as a means for the early identification of students at risk for specific learning disabilities. -
the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
In a way of following the trend to replace the term mental retardation to intellectual disability, the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) became the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). This helps to lessen the regulation of the use of the word "retardation" in the United States which is used to offend these students. -
Sandy Hook Shooting
Adam Lanza, 20, kills his mother and then invades Sandy Hook Elementary School where he kills 20 children and six adults, including principal Dawn Hochsprung and psychologist Mary Sherlachmaking, making this the second deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history. This is the next big shooting in the United States which is important because it brings light back to the topic of gun laws in an unfortunate way along with children's safety at all ages. -
Minority students outnumber non-Hispanic Caucasians in public classrooms
In 2014 minority students enrolled in K-12 public school classrooms outnumber non-Hispanic Caucasians. This is a major milestone due to prior racism and discrimination towards all minorities. -
Transgender Students Sports Eligibility in Minnesota State High School League
On December 4th, 2014 the Minnesota State High School League allows transgender students to join female sports teams. This made Minnesota the 33rd state to have a formal transgender student policy. This is important to help with equality to all students.