Title: The%20Problem:%20Discrimination%20on%20the%20Basis%20of%20Disability%20Possible%20Solution:%20Disability%20Rights%20Laws
1The Problem Discrimination on the Basis of
Disability Possible Solution Disability Rights
Laws
- LSJ 332/CHID 332
- Session 7
- Fall 2007
2Topics
- Selected Reading Questions Discussion
- American Disability Policy Development
- American Law
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of
Rights Act (DD Act) - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) - Writing a Disability Rights Law Step 1
3Reading Questions
- In discussing the treatment of disability
(particularly disabilities other than physical
ones) in the American colonies, Arthur Shapiro
quotes Ferguson as saying the major concern was
over dependency not disability. What does this
mean? - How did the belief that disabled people require
the care of social institutions, services, and
care lead to development of a national welfare
society and charitable organizations?
4Continued
- How has disability has been used to justify the
differences in treatment of women,
African-Americans, and immigrants in this
country? - And how has disability been used to argue against
the inequities of members of these three groups?
5American Disability Policy Development
- Historicallysome would say currently
- Disabled people were/are treated as second class
citizens. - Pitied, abused, and objects of charity not
afforded the fundamental rights of others. - Power differentiation (them and us) created
devaluation and dehumanization. - Belief that they required care/protection(?)
resulted in increased segregation and
self-fulfilling prophecies of dependencylearned
helplessness.
6Nineteenth Century
- So-called Ugly Laws common
- No person who is diseased, maimed, or in any way
deformed so as to be an unsightly or disgusting
object is to be allowed in or on the public ways
or other places in the city. If such a person
exposes himself to public view, he shall be
subject to a fine for each offense. Chicago
ordinance - Beginning of the institutionalization movement
with establishment of the Massachusetts School
for Idiotic Children and Youth in 1849. - Washington Territory opened school for defective
and feeble-minded youth in 1886.
7Twentieth Century
- Exclusion from public education
- It is claimed, on behalf of the school board,
that his physical condition and ailment produces
a depressing and nauseating effect upon the
teachers and school children, that by reason of
his physical condition he takes up an undue
portion of the teachers time and attention,
distracts the attention of other pupils, and
interferes generally with the discipline and
progress of the school. Beattie v. Board of
Education of City of Antigo, 169 Wis. 231 (1919). - Institutionalization and forced sterilization
routine after the Supreme Courts Buck v. Bell
decision in 1927. - Holmes wrote in order to prevent our being
swamped with incompetence, it is better for all
the world, if instead of waiting to execute
degenerate offspring for crimes, or to let them
starve for their imbecility, society can prevent
those who are manifestly unfit from continuing
their kind.
8Revolution
- After WWI there was growing reaction by disabled
people and others to this treatment. - Blind veterans formed American Foundation of the
Blind. - Parents of disabled children developed national
advocacy groupse.g., Childrens Benevolent
League (now Arc). - After WWII, other new groups developede.g., the
Paralyzed Veterans of America. - Disabled people became involved in the civil
rights movement for African Americans in 1960s. - Objective was to change societynot the person.
- Civil Rights Model as way to interpret disability
develops.
9Courts Begin to Reflect Changing Attitudes
- Justice Marshall in Clebourne decision (1984)
summarized the treatment of people with
disabilities - a regime of state-mandated segregation and
degradation soon emerged that in its virulence
and bigotry rivaled, and indeed paralleled, the
worst excesses of Jim Crow. Massive custodial
institutions were built to warehouse the retarded
for life the aim was to halt reproduction and
nearly extinguish their race. Many disabled
children were categorically excluded from public
schools, based on the false stereotypes that all
were uneducable and on the purported need to
protected nondisabled children from them. State
laws deemed the retarded unfit for citizenship. - He concluded that persons with developmental
disabilities have been subject to a lengthy and
tragic history of segregation and discrimination
that can only be called grotesque.
10Twenty-first Century?
- Our nations policymakers have slowly begun to
reject the old approach and adopt a new approach
(disability paradigm) that recognizes - Disability is a natural and normal part of the
human experience that in no way diminishes a
persons right to fully participate in all
aspects of society. (DD Act 101(a)) - In order for disabled people to fully participate
in all aspects of society, our nations policies
must ensure that society fixes the natural,
constructed, cultural, and social environment. - In times of limited resources and competing
priorities, existing policies can change, new
policies may be limited, and the status of the
policy becomes critical. - Is the law a right or a benefit?
- Is the policy based in law?
- Is the policy based on charity?
11Disability Law Development
- Entitlement Programs
- Qualified individuals receive benefit (monetary,
service, privilege) due to their disability - Civil Rights Statutes
- Prohibit discrimination on basis of disability
- Definitions
- What is a Civil Right?
- What is a Human Right?
12Entitlement Programs (open and closed types)
- Open types guarantee eligible persons certain
level of benefitsamount dependent on number of
eligible individualsmandatory spending programs. - Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Closed types do not create individual guarantee
or entitlement to assistancestates given certain
amount of money and to extent there is funding,
people are served. - Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program
- State Childrens Health Insurance Program
(S-CHIP) money to states for low-income who dont
qualify for Medicaid, including children with
disabilities.
13Selected Entitlement Programs
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program
- (Title XVI of the Social Security Act)
- Enacted in 1972
- Authorizes cash benefits for individuals and
couples who are aged, blind, or disabled and
children under age 18 with disabilities or
blindness who meet a financial needs test (income
and resource limitations) - Medicaid Program (Title XIX of the Social
Security Act) - Enacted 1965 with significant amendments since
then - Major public financing program for health and
long-term coverage to low-income persons
(significant for individuals with disabilities) - State administered, means-tested program financed
by both federal and state governments - Within certain federal guidelines, state set
their income and asset eligibility criteria - Broad range of servicessome federally mandated,
some optional
14Major Civil Rights Statutes
- Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964
- Architectural Barriers Act of 1968
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- RCW 49.60--Washington State Law Against
Discrimination - Education for all Handicapped Children Act of
1975 (IDEA) - Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of
Rights Act of 1975 - Voting Accessibility for Elderly Handicapped
Act of 1986 - Air Carrier Access Act of 1986
- The Fair Housing Amendments of 1988
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
15Laws in a Nutshell
- Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 requires
systems accepting federal funds be accessible to
the elderly and people with disabilities. - Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 requires that
all buildings built with federal funds be
accessible.
16Laws continued
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973 501, 503, 504
protect persons with disabilities from
discrimination in federal government, federally
funded programs, and by recipients of federal
funds. - RCW 49.60 -- Washington State Law Against
Discrimination (disability added 1973). - Education for all Handicapped Children Act of
1975 (renamed IDEA in 1990) mandates free
appropriate public education for all qualified
children.
17Laws continued
- Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of
Rights Act of 1975 provides funding for services,
state DD councils, PA programs and Bill of
Rights. - Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and
Handicapped Act of 1986 requires all polling
places in federal elections be accessible for
elderly and people with disabilities. - Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 prohibits
discrimination against any otherwise qualified
handicapped individual, by reason of such
handicap, in the provision of air transportation.
18Laws continued
- Fair Housing Amendment of 1988 provides
protection in public housing. - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
protects qualified people with disabilities from
discrimination in the areas of employment (over
15 employees), transportation, access to public
services and facilities, and communication.
19Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Nondiscrimination and affirmative action sections
passed in lieu of amendments to Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964. - Requires affirmative action by federal government
(Section 501) and recipients of federal contracts
(Section 503) in hiring and promotion of people
with disabilities in employment. - Prohibits discrimination towards people with
disabilities by all entities receiving federal
funds (Section 504).
20Section 504
- No otherwise qualified individual with a
disability . . . Shall, solely by reason of her
or his disability, be excluded from the
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or
be subjected to discrimination under any program
or activity receiving Federal financial
assistance. 29 USC Section 794(a)
21Section 504 Requires
- Program accessibility (physical as well as
criteria for participation) - Reasonable accommodation for employees with
disabilities - Reasonable modifications for participants (e.g.,
students) - Effective communication
- Accessible new construction and alterations
22Impact of Rehabilitation Act?
- Minimal attention paid by covered entities under
504i.e., state governmental services. - Some attention paid by covered entities under
503i.e., federal contractors when Federal
government was investigating complaints. - But bottom line was that few individuals with
disabilities or attorneys understood the
implications of the law AND minimal governmental
monitoring of compliance.
23Developmental Disabilities Assistance Act and
Bill of Rights (DD Act)
- Signed by President Ford in 1975largely as a
response to media attention and court decisions. - States that individuals have a right to
appropriate treatment, services, and
habilitation. - Declares that funding for institutions only if
they - Provide appropriate treatment, services and
habilitation - Meet minimum standards of adequate food,
sufficient medical and dental care - Use physical restraints only when absolutely
necessary and avoid excessive use of chemical
restraints - Allow relatives the right to visit at reasonable
hours without prior notice and - Comply with adequate fire and safety standards.
24American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
- Comprehensive, broader coverage than
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - Same definition for person with disability,
reasonable accommodation, etc. - Covers
- Employers (Title I) with more than 15 employees,
- Public Services of local and state government
(Title II), - Public Accommodations (Title III) covers private
entities open to the publice.g., restaurants,
theatres, health care providers - Telecommunications Relay Services (Title IV).
25Basic Provisions
- Covered entities must not discriminate against
qualified people with disabilities. - Covered entities must provide 1) reasonable
accommodation or modification to allow the person
to participate/benefit 2) auxiliary aids and
services and 3) physical access. - Defenses to these duties undue hardship
fundamental alteration to programs or services
or direct threat.
26Terms of Art
- Person with disability is an individual
- With a Physical or Mental Impairment, that
- Substantially Limits
- A Major Life Activity
- Qualified individual with a disability is one who
- Can perform the essential functions of the job
with or without reasonable accommodations or - Meets eligibility requirements for the program or
service in question.
27Reasonable Accommodation/Modification
- Modification or adjustments to the job or school
application process, work or school environment,
manner under which job or tasks are performed - Modification or adjustment that allows an
employee or student to enjoy same benefits and
privileges - Case by case analysis required
- Undue burden/hardship or substantial modification
not required
28Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Federal Government provides financial assistance
to states if they agree to follow the extensive
due process procedures included in the IDEA. - IDEA provides rights to children with one of 13
disabilities who require special education and
related services in order to benefit from public
education.
29Basic Principles of IDEA
- States must provide a free, appropriate public
education (FAPE) to eligible children. - FAPE must be provided in the least restrictive
environment (LRE) appropriate to the educational
needs of the child. - FAPE includes specialized instruction and related
services designed to meet the unique needs of
each child--i.e., individualized. - Zero rejecti.e., no child is too disabled to
benefit from services.
30Please Consider These
- Your task is to draft a Disability Rights Law.
- Step 1 discuss the following two questions
- What is discrimination and how do we define it in
terms of enforcement? - Who are we covering in the lawi.e., how do we
define disability? - Keep in mind
- Concerns that have been expressed in the
implementation of the ADA - Examples from other statutes
-
31Selected Examples
- The right to be free from discrimination because
of . . . the presence of any sensory, mental, or
physical disability or the use of a trained dog
guide or service animal by a disabled person is
recognized as and declared to be a civil right.
(Washington State RCW 49.60) - For the purposes of this law, a person is
considered disabled if he has a permanent or
long-term physical or mental functional
impairment, which, in relation to his age and
social context, implies considerable
disadvantages for his family, social, educational
an work integration. (Argentina) - A disabled person means a person who is unable to
see hear or speak or suffering from injuries to
his limbs or from mental retardation, due to
natural or man-made causes provided, however,
that the term does not include persons who are
alcoholics, drug addicts and those with
psychological problems due to socially deviant
behaviors. (Ethiopia)