With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
California Schools Must Restore Distance Learning Options For Some Students With Disabilities, Federal Judge Rules
A 13-year-old student takes part in remote distance learning with her deaf education teacher on October 28, 2020 in Stamford, Connecticut. The eighth grader is hearing impaired and has a translator for in-class learning and often while distance learning on a Chromebook.
(
John Moore
/
Getty Images North America
)
A federal judge has handed a small victory to the parents of students with disabilities who wanted their kids to keep learning from home when public school campuses reopened earlier this year.
A California law enacted this year, Assembly Bill 130, said students who opt out of in-person classes have essentially one alternative: enroll in an “independent study” program.
But very early on, advocates for students in special education sounded the alarm. They said independent study programs are inappropriate for most students with disabilities.
California education officials — as well as some state lawmakers and school district leaders — disagreed.
Sponsored message
But late Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston sided with the advocates, ruling California schools were forcing parents to "choose between the harm of their children losing educational opportunity or risking their health and safety."
Illston's ruling applies to the relative handful of students in the lawsuit. For that group, schools must restore pandemic-era offerings — like fully-remote, virtual instruction — that had been previously available for students with special education plans called IEPs.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
