So, my concern as we move forward in the new era of ableism, ableism that emanates from the White House itself. As are many others who consider themselves activists, I am startled and bewildered by how far those of us in the disability culture are severely trounced. The years of progress are destroyed with a stroke of a pen. One person, Donald Trump, ended the dreams of millions of disabled people in America, including disabled veterans, with an edit and a signature.
A primary concern of mine is how postsecondary students will thrive in such an environment. We know the postsecondary community is less than welcoming for disabled students on their campuses. Disabled individuals relied heavily on the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Education for support when disabled postsecondary students found themselves discriminated against and unable to obtain the respect they deserved on the college campus. Now, OCRs are understaffed as the United States Department closes.
I am frightened as we move forward. Postsecondary schools are under immense pressure to address Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within their institutions. Harvard, Stanford, and the University of California, among others, have experienced the pressure to comply with Trump’s wishes. Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake for each school in terms of federal funding. Many, as we know, are capitulating to Trump’s demands and “working a deal” with him.
My concern is, of course, how will the disabled college student survive such an environment? Will universities cut funding for student support for disabled students? Will the disabled student find their graduation dates extended, thus incurring additional expenses for tuition fees? How will colleges resist Trump in his efforts to dismantle postsecondary education as we now know it?
A significant concern is how organizations such as the Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) or the California Association for Postsecondary Education and Disability (CAPED) support colleges and universities as they struggle to resist threats to individuals with disabilities by the Trump administration. Will the organizations continue to support DEI and the civil rights of disabled students, or will they capitulate to less enforcement of the needs of disabled college students to ensure what they perceive as an adequate membership and say, “Well, things will change for the better, but now it is all about money.”?
George S. Fuller, Ed.D.
CEO/President, Daniel Jonathan Fuller Memorial Fund