[IABS-Talk] [IL-Talk] Federal Legislation alert--Please act quickly

[Leslie Hamric]

Hi Marilyn. Please email me off list as to where I can go to get my senators in Congress people information? Thanks.

Leslie Hamric
Cello and Braille Music Teacher
Board member of National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division

> On Mar 19, 2020, at 4:36 PM, Marilyn Green via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Greetings fellow federationists,
> 
> Please read the following e-mail from our Advocacy and Policy office.
> The rights of blind students are subject to compromise if we do not
> act swiftly. Please reach out to me to get the e-mail information for
> our senators if you choose to send an e-mail.
> 
> Thanks for all that you do.
> 
> Marilyn
> 
> 
> It has come to our attention that IDEA Rights May Be Waived by
> Congress! As part of the Senate’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak,
> Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has proposed to include a provision in
> the pending stimulus bill that would give the Secretary of Education
> authority to approve state waiver requests for any statutory and/or
> regulatory requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act (IDEA) for one year and extensions may also apply. The stimulus
> package is expected to drop as early as this weekend. This provision
> would be detrimental for children with disabilities. Covered entities
> such as Child Find, a free appropriate public education (FAPE),
> Individualized Education Program (IEP), all procedural safeguards,
> re-evaluations, related services and accommodations and more are at
> great risk.
> We cannot allow this provision to pass.
> 
> Take Action NOW!
> 
> Currently offices are swamped with phone calls, so it may be better to
> email your two senators and urge them to oppose the Alexander IDEA
> Waiver provision.
> 
> When you call or email, you might say something like the following:
> 
> "Hello, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent of [your
> senator]. I live in [city, state]. I am calling to urge [your senator]
> to oppose Senator Lamar Alexander’s provision to waive all IDEA
> requirements. While the COVID-19 outbreak has placed a tremendous and
> unprecedented strain on schools and districts, it is imperative that
> we work together to find solutions that allow children to receive
> equal access to an education and the services that support them
> without undoing all of their civil and educational rights. I am
> writing as a concerned (parent, teacher, blind person, etc.) to urge
> you to reject any provision that would provide waiver authority to the
> Secretary of Education regarding the Individuals with Disabilities
> Education Act (IDEA). Over seven million children rely on IDEA to
> receive special education supports and services. I hope you will help
> schools by providing states with additional funding that can be used
> to provide teachers, school leaders, and families with the tools they
> need to connect to teach and support students. Please support the
> students with disabilities and their families that rely upon the IDEA
> to have equal access to education.
> 
> Sincerely,
> (Your Name)”
> 
> Please note that due to the rapidly evolving legislation concerning
> the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves needing to
> focus on multiple issues simultaneously. Therefore, this legislative
> alert is in addition to yesterday’s alert on the ATAA. Please be sure
> to speak with or write to your senators and representative on both of
> these critical priorities.
> 
> You can contact your senators by calling the Capitol Switchboard and
> asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. If you
> email your senators, please copy Stephanie Flynt at
> sflynt at nfb.org<mailto:sflynt at nfb.org>. Your calls and emails do make a
> difference.
> 
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