Statement on the passing of Judy Heumann

Dear Extreme Kids & Crew community,

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of disability rights activist Judy Heumann over the weekend. Her fierce championship of equality and inclusion paved the way for so many of the opportunities and protections we enjoy today. Judy was a trailblazer who fought fearlessly for the rights of all disabled people, advocating for accessible public transportation, education, employment opportunities, and so much more.

We are indebted to Judy’s work, and her legacy will live on as we continue to fight for disability equity in our schools, in our workplaces, and in our homes. We honor her memory by committing ourselves to the work of creating a more inclusive and accessible society, one where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and be their fullest selves.

Our thoughts are with Heumann's loved ones during this difficult time. We thank her for her tireless advocacy and her unwavering commitment to justice and equality for all. May her memory be a blessing.

Sincerely,
The Crew

An Open Letter to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams

Dear Brooklyn Borough President Adams,

We were appalled to hear you call the closing of Willowbrook State School, the Staten Island site of numerous abuses of people with developmental disabilities, a “mistake” on MSNBC’s Morning Joe last Tuesday, while downplaying the nature of the atrocities committed there. These comments suggest an incomplete understanding of the depth of institutional failure at Willowbrook, as well as the harm that disabled people often face in facilities meant to care for them. 

It is imperative that we as a community — both citizens and elected officials — do not forget this history, lest we repeat these mistakes. Remarking that just “a few employees harmed those who were patients at Willowbrook” is a gross understatement that erases the lasting trauma of the thousands of Willowbrook patients and ignores the abuse that many of these same patients still receive today in smaller institutions. It is additionally upsetting that you would conflate the experiences of developmentally disabled people and people with mental illnesses, which ultimately marginalizes both communities and does a disservice to their unique lived experiences.

What happened at Willowbrook was a wake-up call for all of us about how disabled people are treated by the medical industrial complex, and New York City requires a leader who understands this. We encourage you to revisit some of the original coverage surrounding the Willowbrook exposé and listen to those who experienced life there in order to better understand the reality of Willowbrook. 

We hope that you can use this as an opportunity to educate yourself and reflect on the harmful nature of your comments. The point that you appeared to be trying to make — that disabled people are woefully under-served by the state despite an abundance of resources — remains a salient one. We look forward to working with the next mayor in advancing opportunities for, while listening directly to, disabled people across New York City. 

Sincerely,
The staff of Extreme Kids & Crew

Our statement on the court ruling regarding skin shock treatment

We are appalled at this week’s ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals which struck down a regulation that would have banned the use of the graduated electronic decelerator, a skin shock “treatment” that is used to torture people with disabilities. This device — which has drawn criticism from human rights groups, disability advocates, legislators, and more — is used by the Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts on children and adults with developmental disabilities and behavioral disorders, the only place in the country that still does so.

We stand with The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the broader disability community in denouncing this ruling, and believe it is imperative that we continue to fight for a future where human rights are universal and not dependent on one’s identity. While we find this ruling despicable, we are heartened by the many advocates who continue to fight for justice in these spaces, and we will continue to be vocal in our solidarity. We urge you to do the same. None of us are free until we're all free.

Read The Autistic Self Advocacy Network’s full statement.

The 2021 NYC mayoral candidates on how they'll serve young people with disabilities

June 22nd is primary day for plenty of important races across New York City — including the race for the next mayor. We combed through the platforms of all the contenders to see how they spoke about young people with disabilities, if at all, and how their policies would serve this population. Read on to see what each candidate had to say.

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Alt: A photograph of Eric Adams smiling and look off to the side of the camera. Source: Krystalb97, via Wikimedia Commons

Eric Adams

says he will…

• Conduct a full audit of students who have not received their education and therapies, and develop a program to provide make-up services.

• Ensure that all new school construction is fully accessible.

• Mandate universal dyslexia screening, as well as push for better screening for learning disabilities and mental health issues.

(Source)

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Alt: A photograph of Art Chang smiling and staring straight into the camera. Source: Art Chang, via Twitter

Art Chang

says he will…

• Provide free Universal Childcare in every neighborhood, and ensure that disabled children have their needs met in these facilities.

• Expand the number of District 75 schools in each borough, to ensure fully-funded education to students with special needs.

• Expand CUNY to support lifelong learning and workforce development, and make CUNY tuition-free.

• Institute a user-friendly online system to manage student IEPs.

• Ensure ADA-compliant access to all school facilities.

(Source)

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Alt: A photograph of Shaun Donovan speaking at a public forum. Source: Sammy Mayo, Jr., via HUD

Shaun Donovan

says he will…

• Provide New York City’s students with disabilities access to research-based, tested programs that meet their needs in inclusive environments, by learning from and expanding existing programs like ASD Nest and Horizon.

• Address racial disparities in special education screening and tackle unfair disciplinary practices that disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities.

(Source)

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Alt: A graphic of Aaron Foldenauer smiling at the camera against a blue and red background. Source: Aaron Foldenauer, via Twitter

Aaron Foldenauer

says he will…

• Support all special educators to develop collaborations with learning programs so as to help meet the increased demands of special education.

(Source)

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Alt: A photograph of Kathryn Garcia holding a microphone and speaking at an event. Source: Sachyn Mital, via Wikimedia Commons

Kathryn Garcia

says she will…

• Empower parents of children with disabilities, particularly students of color, double down on evidence-based programs to meet their needs, and expand access to service providers so that families don’t have to travel beyond their neighborhood for the services they need.

(Source)

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Alt: A photograph of Fernando Mateo looking at the camera. Source: Fernando Mateo, via Wikimedia Commons

Fernando Mateo

does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.

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Alt: A photograph of Ray McGuire smiling with his arms folded and looking at the camera. Source: Sammyg1016, via Wikimedia Commons

Ray McGuire

says he will…

• Ensure that programs outside of school hours are accessible to children with disabilities and other special needs.

• Build on existing reading programs by ensuring there is a dedicated reading coach for every elementary school, who will focus on early intervention for kids with additional support needs and provide training on best-practices in reading and special needs instruction.

(Source)

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Alt: A press photo of Dianne Morales smiling at the camera. Source: Dianne Morales, press kit

Dianne Morales

says she will…

• Provide universal after-school programs that are accessible to students with disabilities, in foster care, with limited financial means, and more.

• Fully fund the school capital plan to eliminate school overcrowding, enable class size reduction, and upgrade all facilities to be mold, asbestos, lead-free and properly ventilated and accessible to students with disabilities.

(Source)

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Alt: A photograph of Paperboy Prince standing in front of a painted sign that says “Paperboy Prince” at the Love Gallery. Source: Fabebk, via Wikimedia Commons

Paperboy Prince

does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.

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Alt: A photograph of Curtis Sliwa wearing a red jacket and beret at the 2012 West Indian Day Parade. Source: Bob Jagendorf, via Flickr

Curtis Sliwa

does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.

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Alt: Scott Stringer speaking to a crowd and holding a microphone. Source: Thomas Good / NLN, via Wikimedia Commons

Scott Stringer

says he will…

• Address chronic shortages in special education, as well as for multilingual students, English Language Learners, and students in the foster care system or otherwise temporarily housed.

(Source)

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Alt: A photo of Joycelyn Taylor with her arms crossed and looking at the camera. Source: Joycelyn Taylor, via Twitter

Joycelyn Taylor

does not mention young people with disabilities in her platform.

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Alt: A photo of Maya Wiley speaking at an event in front of a podium. Source: UN Women/Ryan Brown, via Flickr

Maya Wiley

says she will…

• Address the current impartial hearing crisis and work to reduce the hearings backlog.

• Eliminate disparities by race and disability in school discipline, including suspensions.

• Ensure that the legal rights of students with disabilities are respected and met, and that they are provided with expanded programming.

• Aim to serve as many children in as integrated settings as possible and break down boundaries between District 75 and the broader school system.

(Source)

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Alt: A photo of Isaac Wright Jr. at an event. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Isaac Wright Jr.

does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.

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Alt: Andrew Yang speaking at a rally. Source: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr

Andrew Yang

says he will…

• Establish a DOE public school for students with dyslexia & language-based learning disabilities.

• Implement a universal dyslexia screening in all pre-K classrooms and extend training to teachers on how to bring students up to reading & speaking proficiency.

• Ensure that teachers are trained to properly identify disabilities and support students in their individual education.

• Prioritize students with different learning needs for in-person make-up services in the event of school closings.

(Source)