Just when you think the state of Florida can’t possibly do more harm to their own residents, we find that new rules instituted for this school year—rules that took all of six minutes to pass—are wrecking the lives and opportunities of students with severe disabilities. Gov. Ron DeSantis took up a considerable amount of time this summer demanding changes to educational tools to stop teaching about racism. The governor contended that legislators know better, and therefore, stopping critical race theory—a subject educators aren’t teaching at these levels, though they do teach history—was of high priority. What wasn’t a priority in the state board of education meeting was special need students. After a lengthy debate on critical race theory, it took only six minutes, with only one public speaker, to permanently change the way disability education works in Florida, an act that disability advocates believe was as harmful as stripping people of access to their wheelchairs. Read more