By unanimous executive board vote, the BEA is supporting the efforts to improve the accessibility at the Edmunds School complex. Numerous families are leading the cause to use some stimulus money to make the Edmunds buildings handicap accessible.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Teachers' Union Backs Edmunds Accessibility
BEA backs Edmunds School accessibility...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
More TV Coverage of Edmunds Accessibility
WCAX Channel 3 News ran a piece about Edmunds accessibility today (no video online)...
Edmunds School Accessibility
Burlington, Vermont - April 28, 2009
Keagan Harsha - WCAX News
The issue of handicap accessibility will be addressed at a Burlington school board committee meeting Tuesday night.
Edmunds Middle school has no elevator or handicap access and disabled students are forced to attend Hunt Middle school in the New North End instead.
A group of parents are pushing for equal access, but the school district estimates it will cost about $15 million to make the school handicap accessible.
"2009, Burlington, Vermont, to segregate out a class of our citizens from the most prominent school building in the state of Vermont, right there on Main Street in Burlington, is crazy," said Michael Wood, a concerned parent. "We wouldn't segregate out any other group of people. Why this group?"
Tuesday night's committee meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Ira Allen Educational Center.
Channel 5 News Explores Edmunds Accessibility
Mia Moran filed this story for WPTZ Channel 5 News...
(Click here for video.)
(Click here for video.)
Burlington School Not Handicap Accessible
Parents Take Action Against School
5:26 pm EDT April 27, 2009
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- The issue of handicap access at a local school in Burlington is heating up.
Burlington School Not Handicap Accessible
Edmunds Elementary and Middle School has no elevator and limited wheelchair access, making it impossible for disabled students and people in the community to go there.
"A neighbor who wants to go to some function at Edmunds Middle School but uses a wheelchair can't get in there and this is 2009. It's time and we have a ground swell of support to make this happen," said Suzy Comerford, a parent and member of the group Access Burlington.
Parents have been fighting the Burlington School District for equal access for nearly 15 years but just recently they got together to form the group Access Burlington and now they're putting on the pressure hoping the the district can capitalize on stimulus funds.
Superintendent Jeanne Collins said structural changes to the century-old school won't be cheap.
"It will be very costly to delve into a 108 year old building...possible lead, possible asbestos," said Collins.
Collins estimates it will cost $15 million to make Edmunds fully accessible. She said the district is not violating the Americans With Disabilities Act because disabled students can attend nearby Hunt Middle School. "We can provide access to comparable services and programs which is what's required," said Collins.
But Access Burlington said that's not an acceptable option any more. The group plans to attend Tuesday night's school board meeting to urge board members to invest in an elevator. Collins said the the board and been receptive and the issue is not off the table. In fact the school board has pledged to spend $10,000 to study the feasibility of putting in one elevator.
"This board is very interested in exploring what possibilities may exist for accessibility," said Collins.
Friday, April 24, 2009
An Edmunds Teacher's Voice
Edmunds Middle School teacher, Rich Boyers, just shared this heartfelt message with his neighbors via Front Porch Forum...
It is with great pride when I say that I teach at the most diverse middle school in Vermont. The many cultures enrich the lives of Edmunds Middle School students and teach them a tolerance that makes them more than just "tolerant." My students are welcoming and do not hesitate to help classmates who might be struggling with a new language. They learn to appreciate the uniqueness of each individual. This learning goes far beyond the school curriculum.
But there is a missed opportunity to add to this diversity and a missed learning opportunity when we do not address the obstacles that would prevent my students from welcoming individuals with physical limitations into our school. While perhaps unintended, when we do not find the means to allow all individuals to have equal access to our school, there is an implicit message conveyed... that some individuals are worth more than others. Certainly, this is not a lesson we want to teach.
I write not only as a teacher, but also as a parent. My son Ethan passed away in 2005. Had Ethan survived, in all likelihood, he would have needed a wheelchair. Throughout Ethan's life, our community school played a vital role for my family. During critical times in Ethan's illness, the school provided ongoing support to my family and ensured that the needs of my daughters were well taken care of. Had Ethan thrived and become an active member of our community, I cannot imagine if he would have been prevented from attending the same school as my daughters, the school that had been such an important part of my family's life.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sample letter to VT Legislators
Here's another sample letter we just received... this one to Vermont legislators. Click here to reach your state rep. and senators.
Please help secure funding for Edmunds Middle School in Burlington
Dear State Senators and Representatives,
I am writing to ask respectfully for your support in securing stimulus package funding for handicap accessible improvements at the Edmunds Middle School in Burlington. Though I am not a Burlington resident and my children do not attend the school, I am strongly in favor of committing funds for this much needed and long overdue improvement. I am deeply concerned that perennial budget issues have prevented the school from providing equal access to education for students with accessibility issues, and I urge you to do whatever you can to ensure that the school receives enough money to install elevators and ramps for wheelchair bound kids to attend school.
For an excellent article on Edmunds Middle School's situation and a portrait of several concerned parents, please click here: http://www.7dvt.com/2009old-school
Thanks so much for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Elaine Sopchak
Essex Junction
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Sample Letter to Governor Douglas
Just heard from a community member that she sent the following to Vermont's Governor. Please write your message to him here.
Governor Douglas, I write to you on a subject close to my heart and close to my family. Our children attend Edmunds Middle School and I am distressed over the school's non-accessibility for those who cannot use stairs. Others can speak more forcefully on the personal impact of this barrier to civic participation. I just want to say it is terribly unfair. Our civic buildings absolutely must be open to everyone. Anything less is an affront to democracy and a failure of leadership.
Please consider using some of the economic stimulus funds to create full accessibility at Edmunds. This is a project just like any other public works project: it can create jobs and get wages flowing back into the community. And like roads and bridges (only more so), it will have an enduring impact that strengthens our society.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Help end segregation in Burlington schools... act today!
Burlington has lots of big old buildings -- the Unitarian Church, City Hall, First Congregational, Flynn Theater -- whose owners have two things in common... they're nonprofits and they each figured out years ago how to make their buildings accessible to people in wheelchairs. One landmark structure that sees hundreds of Burlingtonians through its doors daily is not on that list... Edmunds school. People with mobility impairments -- students, parents, teachers, grandparents, community members -- are effectively barred from entering.
Many people are shocked to learn that Edmunds, Vermont's most prominent public school building, does not allow children who use wheelchairs to attend. While Burlington is a wonderful place on many counts, its status as America's "most livable city" seems dubious when this thriving community center on Main Street segregates out an entire class of people. (See well-done Seven Days article.)
Decades after passage of laws promising civil rights to people with disabilities, we have a genuine opportunity to finally make Edmunds accessible to all of our children and community members. The school board needs to hear loudly and clearly from its constituents that this is a top priority. And we need to help them secure federal stimulus funds from the State of Vermont to complete this work. Please join the growing number of parents, students, educators, health professionals, community members, political leaders and advocacy groups who are working together to get this done.
***Act today... take one or more of these steps now***
1. Come to a special school board committee meeting on April 28 at 7 PM at the Ira Allen Building, 150 Colchester Ave, across from FAHC. If so inspired, please speak up at this meeting... but at the least, come, be present. We need you now.
2. Contact your two school board members and convey your opinion on this matter.
3. Request stimulus funds for "Edmunds School accessibility" from Gov. Douglas.
4. Contact your state reps. and state senators and ask for stimulus money and other support for this project.
5. Ask your friends to get informed and take these steps as well... immediately! Time's running out on the stimulus funding opportunity. Send them to this posting.
This community has invested heavily in Edmunds recently (new windows, etc.) and this beautiful old building will be part of our school system for years to come. Edmunds must be made accessible and now's the time. Federal stimulus funds can be used to accomplish this long-overdue task. But we all must act quickly and decisively if we're to have a chance. So, in addition to contacting your Burlington school board members, please contact Governor Douglas and your state legislators and request immediate funding.
Ten years ago when my wife was a teacher at Edmunds the closest a wheelchair-using parent of one her students could get to his child's classroom was outside on the sidewalk looking up. Now, years later, this serious shortcoming is staring my own family in the face. Our oldest son, Ben, is a third-grader at Champlain Elementary and relies on a wheelchair. Under current conditions, he will be denied entry to Edmunds, our neighborhood middle school, unless we get to work immediately and begin to open up this public building. It's this father's fondest wish that Ben will be in Edmunds Middle School's first truly integrated class when he and his good friends start sixth grade in 2011.
I've learned that there are other children with mobility impairments, older and younger than Ben, who are also barred entry. Teachers, parents, grandparents and other community members are also denied access. Edmunds is in use by community groups six-days/week (sports, arts, clubs, voting, etc.), so it's not just about school kids.
An adult friend who uses a wheelchair had the temerity to think she could attend a First Night event at Edmunds. She was terrified when the antiquated half-floor lift meant to serve the middle school gym broke down and blacked out, leaving her trapped. In another case, a woman with a disability arrived at Edmunds for a political rally where she was to be a featured speaker promoting equal rights, only to find she couldn't get inside the building.
And it's not just people with permanent disabilities who shoulder this burden. Injured Edmunds students who use crutches cannot attend class and spend weeks in the library or at home. With four floors and no elevator, our janitors suffer an unusually high turn-over rate, as they lug equipment, furniture, boxes, books, etc. up and down four flights of stairs. We can do better.
Federal education laws (IDEA, Section 504) were enacted four decades ago in part to make schools open to all. Then, nearly 20 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act ushered in our current era of mainstream accessibility. Regrettably, these federal civil rights laws have largely been ignored by the school district regarding Edmunds.
The Burlington schools have a couple of admirable phrases incorporated into our education system... "We all belong" and "Equity and excellence." Well, in the case of my little boy and many others, clearly we do NOT all belong... not when a whole class of children and community members are denied entry to the very building itself. This long-running avoidance of responsibility is neither equitable nor excellent.
Indeed, a father or one of my son's classmates was bewildered to learn of this situation. He responded, "I do not want my son to attend a school that segregates out an entire class of children. That's a terrible lesson to teach him. What era are we living in?"
I'm thrilled that our broader community has a chance to win this challenge... to welcome a new era of inclusiveness and equity. But it won't happen unless you and lots of people you know take the steps above by April 28. Please, take action today!
Thank you! -Michael (and a growing list of supporters!)
Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis
66 Caroline Street
Burlington, VT
Many people are shocked to learn that Edmunds, Vermont's most prominent public school building, does not allow children who use wheelchairs to attend. While Burlington is a wonderful place on many counts, its status as America's "most livable city" seems dubious when this thriving community center on Main Street segregates out an entire class of people. (See well-done Seven Days article.)
Decades after passage of laws promising civil rights to people with disabilities, we have a genuine opportunity to finally make Edmunds accessible to all of our children and community members. The school board needs to hear loudly and clearly from its constituents that this is a top priority. And we need to help them secure federal stimulus funds from the State of Vermont to complete this work. Please join the growing number of parents, students, educators, health professionals, community members, political leaders and advocacy groups who are working together to get this done.
***Act today... take one or more of these steps now***
1. Come to a special school board committee meeting on April 28 at 7 PM at the Ira Allen Building, 150 Colchester Ave, across from FAHC. If so inspired, please speak up at this meeting... but at the least, come, be present. We need you now.
2. Contact your two school board members and convey your opinion on this matter.
3. Request stimulus funds for "Edmunds School accessibility" from Gov. Douglas.
4. Contact your state reps. and state senators and ask for stimulus money and other support for this project.
5. Ask your friends to get informed and take these steps as well... immediately! Time's running out on the stimulus funding opportunity. Send them to this posting.
This community has invested heavily in Edmunds recently (new windows, etc.) and this beautiful old building will be part of our school system for years to come. Edmunds must be made accessible and now's the time. Federal stimulus funds can be used to accomplish this long-overdue task. But we all must act quickly and decisively if we're to have a chance. So, in addition to contacting your Burlington school board members, please contact Governor Douglas and your state legislators and request immediate funding.
Ten years ago when my wife was a teacher at Edmunds the closest a wheelchair-using parent of one her students could get to his child's classroom was outside on the sidewalk looking up. Now, years later, this serious shortcoming is staring my own family in the face. Our oldest son, Ben, is a third-grader at Champlain Elementary and relies on a wheelchair. Under current conditions, he will be denied entry to Edmunds, our neighborhood middle school, unless we get to work immediately and begin to open up this public building. It's this father's fondest wish that Ben will be in Edmunds Middle School's first truly integrated class when he and his good friends start sixth grade in 2011.
I've learned that there are other children with mobility impairments, older and younger than Ben, who are also barred entry. Teachers, parents, grandparents and other community members are also denied access. Edmunds is in use by community groups six-days/week (sports, arts, clubs, voting, etc.), so it's not just about school kids.
An adult friend who uses a wheelchair had the temerity to think she could attend a First Night event at Edmunds. She was terrified when the antiquated half-floor lift meant to serve the middle school gym broke down and blacked out, leaving her trapped. In another case, a woman with a disability arrived at Edmunds for a political rally where she was to be a featured speaker promoting equal rights, only to find she couldn't get inside the building.
And it's not just people with permanent disabilities who shoulder this burden. Injured Edmunds students who use crutches cannot attend class and spend weeks in the library or at home. With four floors and no elevator, our janitors suffer an unusually high turn-over rate, as they lug equipment, furniture, boxes, books, etc. up and down four flights of stairs. We can do better.
Federal education laws (IDEA, Section 504) were enacted four decades ago in part to make schools open to all. Then, nearly 20 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act ushered in our current era of mainstream accessibility. Regrettably, these federal civil rights laws have largely been ignored by the school district regarding Edmunds.
The Burlington schools have a couple of admirable phrases incorporated into our education system... "We all belong" and "Equity and excellence." Well, in the case of my little boy and many others, clearly we do NOT all belong... not when a whole class of children and community members are denied entry to the very building itself. This long-running avoidance of responsibility is neither equitable nor excellent.
Indeed, a father or one of my son's classmates was bewildered to learn of this situation. He responded, "I do not want my son to attend a school that segregates out an entire class of children. That's a terrible lesson to teach him. What era are we living in?"
I'm thrilled that our broader community has a chance to win this challenge... to welcome a new era of inclusiveness and equity. But it won't happen unless you and lots of people you know take the steps above by April 28. Please, take action today!
Thank you! -Michael (and a growing list of supporters!)
Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis
66 Caroline Street
Burlington, VT
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