Sueli Gwiazdowski, a 24-year-old disability rights advocate, faced multiple challenges in accessing education due to her disabilities. After switching high schools three times, she fought against discrimination and segregation to participate in general education settings. Thanks to federal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and accessible educational resources, she successfully pursued higher education. However, proposed changes by the Trump administration could shift responsibility for special education programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services, creating uncertainty around support for students with disabilities.
"I had to fight my way out of that by going to a lot of meetings and asserting that I was capable and able to participate in the general education setting."
"Quite frankly, had it not been for the publicly accessible resources that the Department of Education has provided to students with disabilities like myself, I probably would not have gone to college."
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