Protect Students with Disabilities – Oppose Harmful Discipline Executive Order

I am writing to express deep concern over President Trump’s April 23rd executive order on school discipline, which directs the Department of Education to discard equity-based approaches and reinstate punitive “common sense” discipline policies. While not explicitly targeting students with disabilities, this order undermines core protections guaranteed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). By removing guidance that considered disparate impact, schools may feel emboldened to discipline students solely on behavior—without regard to whether that behavior stems from a disability. This risks a return to discriminatory practices where children with disabilities are disproportionately suspended, expelled, or pushed out of classrooms without appropriate support. IDEA exists to ensure all students receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. The executive order’s emphasis on uniformity over individual need directly contradicts that mission. I urge you to: • Demand immediate oversight hearings on the impact of this order on civil rights and IDEA compliance. • Introduce or support legislation that reaffirms the federal government’s responsibility to protect students with disabilities from discriminatory discipline. • Call on the Department of Education to clarify how it will uphold IDEA in light of this executive directive. Our children deserve more than rhetoric. They deserve protection, opportunity, and justice.