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The Civil Rights Act of 1964
This was a law, signed by Lyndon B. Johnson. This outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation in schools. video -
The Family Educational Rights Act of 1974
Parents are given the right to have access to all personally identifiable information collected, maintained, or used by a school district regarding their child. FERPA requires that all student information be handled with care and not be shared without permission. This allows students with disabilities to keep their information private and out of the public eyes and/or ears.
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Howard S. v. Friendswood Independent School District
This was the first lawsuit under Section 504. A student with learning disability was denied simple accommodations. Friendswood School was forced to recognize and accommodate the special needs of the student and pay for the cost of a private school with a therapeutic program. It was argued that Section 504 only dealt with physical barriers to accessibility and was failed to understand that Section 504 also covered learning disabilities. video -
Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176 (1982)
Amy Rowley was a first grader who was deaf. At first, the school decided to fund an interpreter, but then changed their mind. The parents took the district to the courts, but lost, so they took their fight to the courts. They won in the U.S. Courts and U.S. Court of appeals. Amy lost in the Supreme Court, but she helped set the standard for Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE). Link
