July 2024:
The MLO Minute: “July is Disability Pride Month!”
By Laura Attieh, Esq., Special Education Attorney —
July is DISABILITY PRIDE month and the why and how to celebrate such an amazing part of our community depends on one’s ability to connect to what it means to be a person with a disability and what the world is when wearing their eyeglasses, using assistive devices – physical, technological – or just simply understanding that the definition of “achievement” embodies an entirely different meaning.
Prior to joining McAndrews, I served as a Chief Prosecutor and had first-hand experience to see how important awareness, inclusivity, advocacy and support within the disability community was—there was an obvious display of ignorance, misinterpretation, avoidance, and fear for those falling outside of the walls of the disability community to connect with a level of comfort.
Admittedly, I saw how the justice system and the human services departments, specifically, failed—the lack of appropriate programs, opportunities for children with disabilities entering adulthood and seeking independence through transition and then ultimately in the workforce.
I believe Disability Pride Month is the opportunity to educate our community about persons with disabilities from our own experience and promote growth as we encounter the challenges today. The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) broke down barriers in 1990 when the legislation was passed and every year advocates fought to continue to empower the disability community. The fight never ends though; there is always something we can learn and ways to improve our awareness, understanding, and inclusion.
From my experience, I believe an important part is through employment opportunities, better hiring practices, and with that comes a certain education of the disability community to open your work-place doors with acceptance. Imagine a person with a disability being spoken to as if they’re not the candidate for a job—no questions of their skills, how they would handle real-world customer service issues on the job. Rather an interviewer telling them what their parent, teacher, or case worker expressed about them, in a prepared report assessment, summarizing strengths and weaknesses.
We encourage everyone to celebrate Disability Pride Month in a way that is personal. For me, I want to voice that persons with disabilities have much more to their story than what a cover sheet report may detail.
At McAndrews Law Offices, we ensure that transition services mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) are complied with for your child because employment and participation within the workplace is for all persons.
In Pennsylvania, under Chapter 14, the transition planning as part of the Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) process begins when the student reaches the age of 14. There is much more than just pamphlets and program brochures. Work-based learning programs, on-site job experience and training, vocational and Vo technical training are educational programming opportunities to enable your child or young-adult for acquiring the skill sets for the appropriate employment opportunities in their community. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today by calling 610-648-9300 or by clicking here. Our initial consultation is free, and these matters are often handled on a contingency basis without hourly fees charged to families.
