<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><br><br><div dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">—</span><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Armando L. Vias</span></div><div>Student | Upcoming Freshman At Georgia Military College<br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Email: armando@armandovias.com</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Website: https://armandovias.com</span></div></div></div><div dir="ltr"><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><b>From:</b> Dorothy Griffin via NFB_of_Georgia <nfb_of_georgia@nfbnet.org><br><b>Date:</b> December 23, 2021 at 10:55:39 AM EST<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Georgia List <nfb_of_georgia@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Dorothy Griffin <dgriffin@nfbga.org><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[NFB_of_Georgia] Fwd: #BackOffLACCD: Legal Update & Request to Engage on Twitter</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> NFB of Georgia List <nfb_of_georgia@nfbnet.org><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><span>Good morning, sending this message out to be sure that everyone on the</span><br><span>listserv has received it. Please take action.</span><br><span></span><br><span>---------- Forwarded message ---------</span><br><span>From: National Federation of the Blind <webmaster@nfb.org></span><br><span>Date: Thu, Dec 23, 2021 at 9:15 AM</span><br><span>Subject: #BackOffLACCD: Legal Update & Request to Engage on Twitter</span><br><span>To: Dorothy Griffin <dgriffin@nfbga.org></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>[image: National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you</span><br><span>want] <http://nfb.org></span><br><span>Legal Update—Help Stop Petition to Damage Disability Rights</span><br><span></span><br><span>Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) is planning to petition the</span><br><span>U.S. Supreme Court regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and</span><br><span>Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act—putting disability rights at risk.</span><br><span></span><br><span>LACCD plans to argue that plaintiffs should not be allowed to bring claims</span><br><span>under the ADA or Section 504 using the “disparate impact” theory of</span><br><span>discrimination. “Disparate impact” discrimination means supposedly</span><br><span>unintentional harm or exclusion. However, most discrimination against</span><br><span>people with disabilities happens because of low expectations and without</span><br><span>intentional harm. We demand our civil rights be preserved regardless of</span><br><span>intentions.</span><br><span></span><br><span>This email is a request to engage with the hashtag #BackOffLACCD on Twitter</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24113&qid=6607893> to demand that</span><br><span>LACCD abandon the effort that threatens our rights.</span><br><span>Background of Case</span><br><span></span><br><span>In a case filed by the National Federation of the Blind, the National</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind of California, and two blind students, Roy Payan</span><br><span>and Portia Mason, the Federal District Court for the Central District of</span><br><span>California found that Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD)</span><br><span>violated the students’ rights under Title II of the Americans with</span><br><span>Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by</span><br><span>failing to provide them with accessible documents and course materials,</span><br><span>failing to provide equal access to library resources, procuring and using</span><br><span>inaccessible educational technology, and maintaining an inaccessible</span><br><span>website, among other things.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Colleges and universities are obligated by federal law, the Americans with</span><br><span>Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973</span><br><span>(Section 504), to provide students with disabilities equal and integrated</span><br><span>access to programs, benefits, and services. Specifically, public</span><br><span>universities and colleges must adhere to Title II of the ADA, and private</span><br><span>schools must adhere to Title III; many must also comply with Section 504</span><br><span>because they receive federal funds.</span><br><span></span><br><span>However, LACCD’s Board of Trustees voted on December 19 to proceed toward</span><br><span>filing a petition for certiorari with the United States Supreme Court in</span><br><span>the *Payan v. LACCD* litigation.</span><br><span>How You Can Help</span><br><span></span><br><span>Twitter is a social media platform that can help provide a public</span><br><span>opportunity to demand that LACCD back off this petition. Here are some ways</span><br><span>to help:</span><br><span></span><br><span> - Review and interact with posts under the hashtag #BackOffLACCD on</span><br><span> Twitter <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24113&qid=6607893></span><br><span> - Share your concerns about the impact this will have and include the</span><br><span> hashtag #BackOffLACCD in your posts</span><br><span> - Follow and share the National Federation of the Blind, @NFB_voice</span><br><span> <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24121&qid=6607893></span><br><span></span><br><span>Sample tweet:</span><br><span></span><br><span>Equal access to education is a right. Discrimination is discrimination</span><br><span>regardless of intentions. @LACCD, abandon your plans to petition the</span><br><span>Supreme Court regarding the ADA and Section 504. Work with us—not against</span><br><span>us. #BackOffLACCD</span><br><span></span><br><span>A twitter account will be needed to engage with this digital public</span><br><span>protest. To learn more about Twitter, review our General Twitter Tips</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24114&qid=6607893>.</span><br><span>Additional Resources:</span><br><span></span><br><span> - Federal Court Rules in Favor of Blind Students</span><br><span> <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24115&qid=6607893></span><br><span> - Disability Leaders Call on LA Community Colleges to Abandon Supreme</span><br><span> Court Threat to Disability Rights</span><br><span> <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24116&qid=6607893></span><br><span> - Letter to the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Community College</span><br><span> District (LACCD)</span><br><span> <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24117&qid=6607893></span><br><span> - Payan v LACCD Explainer</span><br><span> <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24118&qid=6607893></span><br><span></span><br><span>Thank you for your support and commitment. Learn more information about our</span><br><span>legal program <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24119&qid=6607893>.</span><br><span></span><br><span>[image: Facebook Logo]</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24120&qid=6607893> [image: Twitter</span><br><span>Logo] <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24121&qid=6607893> [image:</span><br><span>Instagram Logo]</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24122&qid=6607893> [image:</span><br><span>YouTube Logo] <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24123&qid=6607893> [image:</span><br><span>Email Icon Image]</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24124&qid=6607893> [image:</span><br><span>Donate to the NFB Icon.]</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24125&qid=6607893></span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230</span><br><span><https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+E+Wells+Street+%7C+Baltimore,+MD+21230?entry=gmail&source=g></span><br><span>| 410-659-9314</span><br><span>Unsubscribe</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=18370&qid=6607893&h=9d26e55514cec7c8></span><br><span>| Opt Out</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=18370&qid=6607893&h=9d26e55514cec7c8></span><br><span>| Sign Up for Our E-newsletter</span><br><span><https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=24126&qid=6607893></span><br><span></span><br><span>200 East Wells St.</span><br><span><https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+East+Wells+St.+Baltimore+,++21230+United+States?entry=gmail&source=g></span><br><span>Baltimore</span><br><span><https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+East+Wells+St.+Baltimore+,++21230+United+States?entry=gmail&source=g>,</span><br><span>21230</span><br><span><https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+East+Wells+St.+Baltimore+,++21230+United+States?entry=gmail&source=g></span><br><span>United States</span><br><span><https://www.google.com/maps/search/200+East+Wells+St.+Baltimore+,++21230+United+States?entry=gmail&source=g></span><br><span>..</span><br><span>-- </span><br><span>Dorothy Griffin - President</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Georgia</span><br><span>dgriffin@nfbga.org</span><br><span>770-374-4832</span><br><span></span><br><span>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the</span><br><span>characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the</span><br><span>expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles</span><br><span>between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;</span><br><span>blindness is not what holds you back.</span><br><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>NFB_of_Georgia mailing list</span><br><span>NFB_of_Georgia@nfbnet.org</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb_of_georgia_nfbnet.org</span><br><span>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NFB_of_Georgia:</span><br><span>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb_of_georgia_nfbnet.org/armando%40armandovias.com</span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>