Disability Rights: A Missing Piece in Civil Rights Curriculum Noelle Arcaro Civil Rights
Disability Rights
Selma (1965) John Lewis led 600+ marchers over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL, sparking the fight against racial injustices. “I have a Dream” March (1983) protest against the inequalities faced by African Americans
Deaf President Now (1988) weeklong protest demanding a Deaf President at Gallaudet University. “This is the Deaf Selma; There’s no turning back”-Congressman David E Bonior
19th Amendment (1920)- granted women the right to vote
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)-provides protections to people with disabilities and ensures them equal voting opportunities
Key Activists: Rosa Parks, MLK Jr.
Key Activists: Judy Heumann, Justin Dart
Curriculum Edsitement
WeTeachNYC
Deaf President Now
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0
Selma
12
3
ADA
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0
227
2
0
0
12, 205
1,3
19th Amendment Judy Heumann, Justin Dart Rosa Parks, MLK Jr.
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Top 4 APUSH textbooks: no mention of disability rights, ADA, or DPN
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NYS Social studies standards reference civil rights but not disability rights, ADA, or DPN
“Civil rights covers all oppressed people, and deaf and hard of hearing people are in
that category of being oppressed in society. It makes sense to join in their milestones and their struggles…This story needs to be retold many times. – G. Hlibok
Why is it important to study disability rights in grade school? “Disability is everywhere in history…but conspicuously absent in the histories we write.”- Dr. Douglas Baynton • Studies on identity-based inequalities are an important part of history •
People with disabilities may not share this identity with their families, meaning they may not learn about their cultures and histories at home
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If not taught in in grade school, many people may never learn about disability rights. Disability studies courses are only offered at 33 US universities (ASA.org) and only ~33% of Americans over 25 have undergraduate degrees (Census.gov).
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Influence on other aspects of history (Baynton) • American immigration: “When categories of citizenship were questioned…disability was called on to clarify and define who deserved…citizenship.” (Baynton) • Justifications of slavery: “African Americans lacked sufficient intelligence” due to ailments that only affected their race • Drapetomania and Dysaesthesia Aethiopis (Baynton) • Opposition to women's’ suffrage: “great temperamental disabilities” prevented women from exercising political rights-Grace Goodwin, anti-suffragist (Baynton)
”We are building the case that disability is culturally constructed rather than natural and timeless- that disabled people have a history, and a history worth studying.”-D. Baynton