ACCESS Burlington

Student revolt on Mt. Philo!

2011-10-24T13:04:00.006-04:00

A lovely story from Ben's first year at Edmunds Middle School. He's likely the first student in the 111-year history of Vermont's most prominent school to attend using a wheelchair. The five-story brick building, which sits on Main Street in the state's largest city, was made whole last year with the addition of an elevator.

Ben's team of 50 6th graders and teachers did a "hike for hunger" fund-raiser last week... they hiked to the top of Mt. Philo. As the kids spilled out of vehicles at the base of this mountain, Ben's mom prepared to drive him to the top in their ramp-van via the access road. Everyone else was hiking up the narrow trail through the woods.

That's when the student revolt hit. "No fair!" "Ben should go with us!" Suddenly, Ben was headed up the access road with a dozen classmates and adults pushing and pulling him in his wheelchair! That's a loooong steep push! (See pair of photos on the school's home page.)

What a great group of students and teachers. Diversity benefits everyone.

Edmunds Elevator Celebration Video Coverage

2011-01-23T23:26:00.002-05:00

Great coverage of the Edmunds elevator celebration from CCTV Channel 17...

See two years worth of media coverage of this issue here.

WCAX: Burlington school finally handicapped-accessible

2011-01-19T20:57:00.004-05:00

Burlington School Finally Handicap Accessible
WCAX
Burlington, Vermont - January 19, 2011

Burlington's oldest school is finally starting to look a little more modern.

Parents, teachers, and students cut the ribbon Wednesday on a brand new $500,000 state-of-the-art elevator at the Edmunds School.

There have been people working to get an elevator in Edmunds for decades. And no parent was happier about the new addition than Michael Wood-Lewis. His son Ben currently attends fifth-grade at Champlain Elementary. Without an elevator, he wouldn't be able to move on to middle school at Edmunds next year with many of his fellow classmates.

"I don't think there have been any students to attend Edmunds who use a wheelchair simply because they couldn't. There have been plenty of candidates but they've all been sent elsewhere," Michael Wood-Lewis said.

Accessibility for disabled students is a problem perplexing many of Vermont's schools. Only one new school has been built in the past decade and more than half are at least 40 years old, built before requirements for handicapped accessibility. That means most are in need of improvements.

The Vermont Center for Independent Living fields complaints about school accessibility on a regular basis.

"I think generally people look at the main bathrooms or the main entrance, but maybe the second floor isn't accessible to everybody or the staging area for the theater isn't accessible to everybody," said Sarah Launderville of VCIL.

Schools must meet requirements outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, but many resort to creative measures in order to do so, like bringing in stair lifts instead of installing expensive elevators or moving classes downstairs to accommodate disabled students.

In the case of Edmunds, disabled students were simply sent elsewhere in the district.

But there are signs of progress, especially recently. According to the Vermont Education Department, upwards of 20 schools have taken advantage of federal stimulus funds to make major accessibility upgrades to schools.

"School budgets are so strapped that when stimulus money came in it was one area where they could really expand and make improvements," Launderville said.

And for families like Ben's-- that's encouraging news. Families that just want to see their children made a part of the classroom community in every way possible.

"It's the daily lottery to see who gets to ride in the elevator with Ben," Michael Wood-Lewis said. "It's really about accessibility and inclusion."

Keagan Harsha - WCAX News

Edmunds Elevator Carries First Passengers!

2011-01-19T20:52:00.003-05:00

Speeches were made, thanks shared, a ribbon cut, and rides were gladly taken on the new first-ever elevator in 111-year-old Edmunds Middle School today!

While many people have worked and wished for this day for decades, the current effort started two years ago, January 2009. It took one year to convince the school and city leadership to make this project a priority and to locate funds, and one year to design and build it. Amazing!

Congratulations and thanks to all involved!!

Spread the Word... Edmunds Elevator Celebration Poster

2011-01-06T13:47:00.005-05:00

Download this poster and share it around Burlington before Jan. 19, 2011!

Newspaper Covers Edmunds Elevator Progress

2011-01-06T12:36:00.002-05:00

In today's Free Press...

Burlington school renovations make progress
By Molly Walsh
Burlington Free Press
Thursday, January 6, 2011

The ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for a new elevator at Edmunds Middle School on Jan. 19 will wrap up a wave of improvements at city schools over the past 18 months and be followed by another round, school officials said.

The $1.5 million elevator project will improve handicap access in the century-old, multi-story structure whose many stairs are an obstacle for people with mobility problems.

Michael Wood-Lewis, a South End parent who led the campaign to make the building more accessible, said the elevator means one of the most prominent public school buildings in Vermont -- located on Main Street in Vermont's most populous city -- will finally be open to all.

"It's very significant. It means that people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility issues will now be able to work in the building or be a student in the building or attend events or vote," Wood-Lewis said.

The elevator will allow 11-year-old Ben Wood-Lewis, a fifth-grader at Champlain School who has cerebral palsy, to attend Edmunds Middle next year with his current classmates rather than being assigned to the one-story Hunt Middle School across the city in the New North End.

Until now, it has been district practice to assign South End students who use wheelchairs to attend Hunt because Hunt is handicapped accessible. Michael Wood-Lewis argued that this practice was unfair for many reasons, including the way it separated students from their grade school peers.

Ben Wood-Lewis, who was recently in the hospital, came home to find 30 get-well cards from buddies at Champlain -- underscoring the importance of friendship, his father said.

"These are his classmates and these are the folks he's going to middle school with now," Michael Wood-Lewis said.

The elevator project is just one item on an ambitious list of renovations, including some that cost significantly more than anticipated. Voters approved a $9.7 million bond in 2009 that was supposed to pay for overhauls at three schools but will come up short. Costs for some projects exceeded estimates:

-- Work at the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes was expected to cost $2.5 million when the bond went to voters, was estimated at $3 million last year after a kitchen renovation was added and will cost about $3.27 million.

-- Work at C.P. Smith School was estimated at $3.1 million but will cost about $4 million, said Chris Giard, property services director for Burlington Schools.

-- The reminder of the $9.7 million bond will not be enough to cover the third renovation project, at J.J. Flynn School, which was projected to cost $3.96 million initially but is now pegged at $4.7 million.

The district plans to move forward with the renovations at Flynn and cover costs above the $9.7 million bond through an annual $2 million bonding authority that city voters approved in 2009. This bonding authority and about $300,000 in federal stimulus funds helped pay for the Edmunds elevator.

Burlington Superintendent Jeanne Collins said a number of factors contributed to higher than anticipated costs at Smith and the Sustainability Academy, including the difficulty of making accurate estimates more than 18 months before construction begins. She thanked Burlington voters for their generosity and said she was pleased that so much work has been done in the district, which operates nine schools and owns more than 20 buildings. The recent round of improvements are significant, she said.

"I don't think the district has seen that much work in about 50 years," she said.

Contact Molly Walsh at 660-1874 or mwalsh@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com.

Edmunds Elevator Ribbon-Cutting Jan. 19, 2011

2010-12-04T17:08:00.002-05:00

Burlington School District Superintendent Jeanné Collins announced on CCTV that the Edmunds elevator ribbon-cutting celebration will occur...

January 19, 2011 (Jan. 20 snow date)
3:30 PM
Edmunds cafeteria
Details to follow!

The following video clip is a compelling discussion of inclusion and accessibility in Burlington schools that aired December 2, 2010...

Ribbon cutting for new Edmunds elevator?

2010-12-02T13:04:00.002-05:00

Rumor has it that a ribbon-cutting event is in the works for the latter half of January 2011 for the almost-completed Edmunds Middle School elevator! Very exciting. Stay tuned for details.

Edmunds Update

2010-05-13T21:23:00.002-04:00

From Burlington School Board Chair, Fred Lane, about the school board meeting this week...

One of the final items that the Board dealt with was approval of the bid for the installation of the elevator at Edmunds Middle School. Site work will start in the basement of the building before the end of the month, and intensive work will get underway as soon as school is finished in mid-June. The project is scheduled to finish before the start of school in September and I am looking forward to a ribbon-cutting, button-pushing ceremony. We will continue to work to improve accessibility in the Edmunds complex, but this is a great milestone.

Source: Front Porch Forum

Edmunds Accessibility Effort Wins Award

2010-05-13T21:14:00.003-04:00

Today the effort to make Edmunds schools accessible garnered some lovely recognition. The Vermont Family Network presented one of the leaders of the Edmunds campaign, Michael Wood-Lewis, with it's first annual Nancy DiVenere Award for Outstanding Parent or Caregiver.

Parent to Parent of Vermont founder, Nancy DiVenere, herself made the presentation and outlined the struggle to open up this school to all students and community members. Wood-Lewis said in accepting the award on behalf of the team who worked on the effort...

... about the Edmunds school accessibility project... wow! We went from a solid "no way" to our request to open up the most prominent school in the state... to one year later hearing a big fat "yes!" In fact, the school board just approved a contractor this week and construction on a five-stop elevator and bathroom modifications should be completed by fall of this year. Amazing.

So thanks to Superintendent Jeanne Collins and the Burlington School Commissioners for being open to this progress and making it real. And thanks to the hundreds of Vermonters who weighed in through Front Porch Forum, letters and calls, button-holing officials on the sidewalk, etc... your grassroots push made all the difference.

And that team I mentioned... a fantastic group of persistent professionals, politicians and parents, including: Suzy Comerford, City Councilor Karen Paul, Peggy Owen Sands, Connie Curtin, Deborah Lisi-Baker, Kim Brittenham, Sarah Launderville, Sam Abel-Palmer, Patrick Halladay, Jessica Oski, and others.

One last point... this accessibility campaign would not have happened without the inspiration provided by our ten-year-old son, Benjamin Wood-Lewis, and his younger siblings, Madeline, Henry and Isaac. I'm one proud papa. And my beautiful wife, Valerie, played an active and critical role throughout this project.

And since I'm up here to receive an "outstanding parent award," let me accept it in honor of my parenting mentor, my partner and my inspiration... the best parent I know... Valerie Wood-Lewis. Thank you.

Edmunds will be accessible this time next year!

2009-09-11T02:20:00.004-04:00

Hallelujah! It's official... the Burlington School Board allocated the funding necessary for Phase 1 of improving Edmunds... complex-wide overhaul of the electrical system and the fire alarms... and a brand-spanking-new first-ever elevator (five stop) in the middle school.

Congratulations to all the advocates, our school leaders, the kids, and our whole community... all of whom will benefit directly or indirectly. Bravo. Here's Molly Walsh's take on it in the Free Press yesterday...

Next year at this time, one of Burlington's old school buildings should be more accessible to students and others who use wheelchairs.

The city School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to install an elevator in the Edmunds Middle School on Main Street and make electrical and fire safety changes that will cost about $1.55 million. The vote came after more than a year of lobbying by parents, school employees and community members who said the building's many stairs block access to classes, school plays, voting and First Night performances.

Under current district practice, students who use wheelchairs and would normally be districted to Edmunds Middle are assigned to Hunt Middle School in the city's New North End.

Valerie and Michael Wood-Lewis, South Enders whose 9-year-old son has cerebral palsy, led the drive for access and argued that it was wrong to segregate students with disabilities. Scores of people attended public meetings -- including school staffers who spoke of not being able to get up and down stairs in casts, and grandparents who couldn't climb up to the third floor classrooms for open houses.

The vote will help make a beautiful historic building more accessible to everyone, Valerie Wood-Lewis said. "I'm just thrilled for the whole community that this is moving forward."

Community members have complained for years about the building's lack of access. The School Board had proposed improvements as part of a large bond that fizzled last fall, and it looked as though the building could remain off limits to wheelchair users for years.

Parents and others lobbied hard for the changes last spring, and the School Board put the project on the front burner. "We were able to accelerate this a little faster than we expected so I think everybody's pretty pleased," said Fred Lane, chairman of the Burlington School Board.

The board will use leftover bonding capacity money from fiscal year 2009 and about $300,000 in federal grant money to pay for the project, which is expected to go out to bid in March. Construction should begin as soon as school lets out.

The first phase will cover only a portion of the changes needed. For example, wheelchair users bound for the middle school building will have to enter through a door at the adjacent Edmunds Elementary School and cross over to the middle school via a ramp in a connecting building.

"It's a start," Valerie Wood-Lewis said.

Contact Molly Walsh at 660-1874 or mwalsh@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com.

More Edmunds Accessibility Coverage

2009-09-03T14:17:00.007-04:00

WCAX covered the big news that the Burlington School District is finally preparing to make Edmunds school accessible to people with mobility impairments.

Not working? See video clip here.

Accessible Edmunds One Step Closer to Reality

2009-09-01T22:52:00.006-04:00

Tonight, the Burlington School Board's finance committee voted to approve the Superintendent's recommendation that the School District use existing funds to tackle all of Phase 1 of making the Edmunds complex accessible.

What's all this mean? Well, time will tell, but when asked, the committee said it means that, pending full board approval on Sept. 8 (7 PM at BHS) and no serious code inspection hurdles, BSD will begin designing Phase 1 immediately and put it out to bid in January 2010... in four or five months! Construction will start the last day of this new school year and be completed by this time next year... in time for the 2010-2011 school year... WOW!

This is an incredible accomplishment for our school leadership and the many, many local advocates. Of course, we're not at the finish line yet... that will be the ribbon cutting ceremony on the new elevator one year from now. And then folks will need to tackle remaining Burlington school accessibility challenges... of which there are many... but none as daunting as this first one! Thanks to all involved in this pending success.

So please attend the Sept. 8 full school board meeting at 7 PM at Burlington High School.

Here's Fox 44 News' take...

Burlington Looks To Make Middle School Handicap Accessible
Posted: Sep 1, 2009 10:19 PM

At the Burlington School District finance meeting Tuesday night education leaders recommended using the remaining $1.25 million in last year's capitol bond to jump start renovations on Edmunds Middle School.

Right now the only way for a student to enter the Edmunds Middle School is by using stairs which can be a challenge or even impossible for students with disabilities.

The first phase is to put in an elevator that would go from the basement to the 5th floor.

"We do have approval from the department of education to use federal stimulus money for a portion of the elevator," Burlington Superintendent Jeanne Collins said.

Phase two through five would add an elevator in the elementary school and ramps around the middle school. Collins says they hope to install the elevator next summer at Edmunds Middle School.

And here's the more detailed video version from Fox 44 News...

Zoe's Race - Accessibility Fundraiser

2009-08-29T22:20:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to the Nestor family for organizing the first Zoe's Race on August 30. Named after their young daughter, this event is a money-raiser for a HowardCenter fund for families who need cash to make changes to their homes to accommodate a family with some sort of mobility need.

Tim Johnson at the Burlington Free Press covered it today.

Critical meetings for making Edmunds accessible

2009-08-17T12:36:00.007-04:00

Burlington school leaders are making steady progress toward making Edmunds accessible to all students and community members. Now is the time for people interested in this issue to tune in and attend the following critical meetings...

Burlington School Board Finance Committee meeting
Sept. 1, 2009
5 PM
Ira Allen Administrative Center, 150 Colchester Ave

Burlington School Board ITC meeting
Sept. 1, 2009
7PM
Ira Allen Administrative Center, 150 Colchester Ave

Burlington School Board meeting
Sept. 8, 2009
7 PM
Burlington High School cafeteria

Check here for schedule changes.

VPR: "How accessible is Vermont?"

2009-08-12T19:01:00.003-04:00

From Vermont Public Radio today... listen here...

Vermont Edition
08/12/09
How accessible is Vermont?
By Jane Lindholm

AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach

Sit-skiing, hand-cycling, and adaptive sailing- the state is teeming with opportunities for disabled Vermonters to stay active and enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. But just how accessible is the state on a day-to-day basis? Say, at the grocery store, or town hall? We explore the challenges faced by and opportunities offered to disabled Vermonters. Our guests include Sarah Launderville of the Vermont Center for Independent Living, and Patrick Standen, the director of the Northeast Disabled Athletes Association.

San Francisco improves access to schools

2009-06-22T20:34:00.003-04:00

Burlington's not the only school district working to make old buildings accessible to community members with mobility impairments...

School improves access for disabled students
Jill Tucker, jtucker@sfchronicle.com
San Francisco Chronicle, page B - 1
Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A year ago, Gaby Castro would show up at Mission High School not knowing whether she'd be able to get to her classes that day.

If the one elevator wasn't working, a weekly occurrence, Castro would be stuck on the school's second floor - her wheelchair unable to navigate all the 27 level changes scattered throughout the 84-year-old building.

And even if the elevator was working, Castro still couldn't get to many parts of the campus, including a gym and an auditorium.

Now, about a year and $18 million later, the 18-year-old senior can get wherever she wants, whenever she wants at school.

"Now it's, like, so perfect," Castro said.

In San Francisco, the district has budgeted about $255 million to ensure that about 90 schools meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements by 2012.

A federal judge is overseeing the work - everything from ramps and water fountains to scattered seating in auditoriums - to ensure that San Francisco schools adhere to a 2004 legal settlement correcting a lack of disabled access in the schools.

The Lopez case forced the district to put ADA access over everything else - sometimes leaving failing roofs or faulty boilers for later.

"It forced upon the district a legal settlement with very, very strict guidelines and timelines," said district Chief Facilities Officer David Goldin.

Voters have approved two facilities bonds in recent years, one in 2003 for $295 million and another in 2006 for $450 million. The district is also getting nearly $100 million in state bond money.

About 30 percent is being spent to fulfill Lopez requirements, Goldin said.

Ensuring disabled access never comes cheap. Take the controversial and costly ramp to bypass the five steps up to the historic podium in the Board of Supervisors chamber in San Francisco City Hall. The total renovation related to the ramp is estimated to cost about $1 million.

At Mission High School, the project required architects to make a five-story school built on a hill - one side of the building is 50 feet higher than the other - accessible.

Inside, the 600 doors of varying sizes and shapes had to open easily, especially for wheelchair users.

Every water fountain, every bathroom, every doorway was adjusted or completely redone. Each of those 27 separate level changes had to be addressed.

And they had to do something about the elevator.

"This building was never built with (the ADA) in mind," Goldin said.

The architects spent two years designing the changes. Construction took two more years, with a flurry of work during the summers. Aside from finishing touches, the work is essentially done.

There are now two elevators - one that makes seven stops, including two stops on levels that are up or down a few steps off main floors.

"I think it's all about equal access," said special-education teacher Nikki Taylor. The disabled students "can go see a play. They can go to the library to check out a book."

Upgrading to ADA standards also resulted in improvements for all students, including new bathrooms throughout the school and improvements to the historic main auditorium.

"This was really a major challenge," said Lisa Gelfand, principal of the architectural firm Gelfand Partners, as she walked through the hallways pointing out the various ramps and ADA changes. "A tremendous challenge."

While the majority of the school's 850 students will never need any of the $18 million worth of ADA improvements, teachers and students say the improvements have created equality and are worth every penny.

"That's the positive out of all this, that if you were blind or if you were mobility impaired, you have equal and free access (to) the best Mission High School has to offer," Goldin said.

Special-education teacher Tanya Derkash shudders when she recalls how students couldn't get to their regular high school classes because of the elevators.

"We would go get their work and they would come in here," she said of the second-floor special-education room.

Senior Lepa Kupu, 19, remembers those days.

Born with cerebral palsy, he uses a wheelchair equipped with a touch screen that allows him to type or select common words off multiple screens.

"I came started here our school don't ramp everywhere," he said, moving across various screens quickly to access the words he wanted.

Then he smiled as he completed the next sentence that appeared at the top of his screen.

"This year excellent."

Edmunds awarded grant

2009-06-11T09:23:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to the Burlington School District... the Edmunds renovation project just landed a $20,000 grant. From the Burlington Free Press today...

More than $85,000 in grants have been awarded to 19 municipalities in Vermont to help ensure people with disabilities have access to polling places, according to a statement from Secretary of State Deb Markowitz.

The Burlington School District received the maximum amount -- $20,000 -- to install automatic doors and add handicap parking spaces... The grants are intended to help towns meet the mandates of the federal Help America Vote act signed into law in 2002... Since the program began, the Secretary of State's Office has awarded 119 grants worth $481,538. For more information on the Help America Vote Act, visit http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/hava.html

Burlington School Board Votes for Edmunds Accessibility

2009-06-10T01:28:00.002-04:00

The Burlington school board passed the following motions tonight. This is a great stride forward! More steps to come.

2) Elevator Accessibility

2a) Motion: Ask Bobby Miller to review concepts and budget for Phase I to verify budgetary numbers and identify potential problems as well as have the plan reviewed by Access Board.

2b) Motion: to request prior to any concept reviews, the C Building addition that addresses security, external access and curricular program access be added to the concept drawings.

2c) Motion: to accept the recommendation to finance Phase I A Building elevator project by using $1,090,000 from FY 12 capital project plan, $300,000 IDEA ARRA funds and ask the city or other viable source to support the project with the additional $300,000 needed.

3) Motion: to authorize and direct the chief administrative officer of the city to pledge the credit of the city by issuing negotiable orders, warrants, notes or bonds in an amount not to exceed in the aggregate two million dollars ($2,000,000) in fiscal year 2010 for the purpose of providing working capital and capital improvements, additions and replacements required for the efficient and economical operation of the school department.

Edmunds Accessibility Effort Wins Award

2009-06-04T08:25:00.003-04:00

The many local volunteers working to make Edmunds accessible were among those recognized with an award last night! Here's the video from CCTV... start watching just shy of 50% into the piece. A clip from the newspaper's account too...

Champions of diversity in education honored in Burlington
By Molly Walsh
Burlington Free Press
June 4, 2009

When Somali refugee children needed financial assistance to attend summer camp, Nancy Zahniser stepped up to establish a scholarship fund. When Patrick Brown arrived in Burlington 26 years ago, he began a long career of community service designed to reduce racism and increase equal opportunity.

Both received standing ovations and lifetime achievement awards at the first Champions of Diversity and Equity program at Burlington City Hall on Wednesday. More than 100 people attended the awards ceremony designed to honor Vermonters who have worked to affirm social and cultural diversity in Burlington public schools, build bridges across differences in the community and create a culture for leadership and social change...

The awards were sponsored jointly by city government, the school district and the Social Equity Investment Project...

Other champions award recipients included student Nicole Murphy of Burlington High School; Joy Kipp, an art teacher at Hunt Middle School; Michael Wood-Lewis, a Burlington parent who is leading a drive to make Edmunds Middle School handicapped accessible; Denise Dunbar, coordinator of Reading to End Racism of Chittenden County; and Nimo Girreh, a Burlington school district bilingual/bicultural home school liaison...

School board making progress on Edmunds accessibility

2009-06-03T19:20:00.003-04:00

Some amazing news out of the Burlington school board this week. The Infrastructure and Technology Committee of the board, as well as the Finance Committee, met on June 2 and tackled a proposal to address the accessibility challenges of Edmunds. (Read Seven Days report.)

The committees will likely put forward a motion at the June 9 full school board meeting with the following points...

1. The Burlington School District (BSD) will commit to making the four-building Edmunds complex (middle and elementary schools) fully accessible and ADA compliant. They will do this as part of a $6-8 million multi-phase plan to invest in these buildings over several years. This is a 50% reduction from the previous cost estimate.

2. BSD will undertake the first phase immediately, to install a five-stop elevator in the middle school and make improvements to at least one bathroom on each floor. The cost estimate for this phase is $1.6 million, with about one-third needed to overhaul the fire alarm system in all four buildings, one third to replace the electrical system in the middle school, and one third for the elevator. BSD has identified $1 million for this work from within its capital improvement budget and $300,000 from federal special education stimulus funding. They still need to raise $300,000 and will approach the City of Burlington for help. The construction would start and end the summer of 2011 and be ready to go for the 2011-12 school year, although they are open to a faster timetable.

Amazing progress! And we're not there yet.

Aimee Picchi's Blog

2009-05-26T22:07:00.002-04:00

Aimee Picchi, local freelance journalist, has written several pieces for Seven Days about Edmunds accessibility. Check out her blog for more.

(Thanks Haik for the heads up.)

Attend School Board Meeting May 19

2009-05-18T23:46:00.000-04:00

Attend the next full school board meeting. Just be present or speak up during the public comment period. May 19, 2009, 7 PM, Burlington High School cafeteria.

Edmunds Accessibility - Myths and Reality

2009-05-18T22:49:00.009-04:00

Wow. The outpouring of community support for making Edmunds accessible has been amazing. I bumped into a non-Burlington state senator and asked if he was aware... "oh yes!" Apparently he's gotten an earful from many constituents, which prodded him to make a series of calls. And this kind of thing is playing out all across northwest Vermont. Good. This conversation is long overdue.

Now, not all voices are singing strong in support. Indeed, we've heard from at least two people who seem against making the school in question accessible to children and community members with disabilities. A brave stance to take, no doubt. In response to some of their points...

1. We should make our decisions to provide the greatest good to the greatest number.
Hmm... a pro-tyranny of the majority argument seems a tough sell in Vermont.

2. While access to public school buildings may be an "inalienable right," we shouldn't support this right if it's costly.
Declaring something a "right" does just that... it de-emphasizes financial cost in light of community beliefs of right and wrong.

3. Spending money on kids with disabilities takes resources away from other kids.
Well, yes and no. Many public funds come with heavy restrictions on what they can and cannot be used for. E.g., federal nutrition funds for low-income kids cannot be used to build a new high school sports complex. Despite claims to the contrary, school finances are NOT a simple matter.

4. This is not a legal issue.
Of course it is! Anything and everything is a legal issue if the parties involved take it in that direction. We operate under the rule of law and when people disagree, they can turn to the law to resolve their differences. In this particular case, multiple legal experts have testified that the Burlington school district is out of compliance with more than one federal civil rights laws.

5. This is a $1.5 million elevator.
The current estimate is $500,000 for a four-building fire alarm replacement, plus $500,000 for a whole new electrical system for the middle school, plus $500,000 for a five-stop elevator in the middle school (including the attic). This is a $1.5 million fire safety, electrical, and accessibility proposal, NOT a $1.5 million elevator. The school district recently installed a 2.5-stop elevator at Burlington High School for about $250,000, as a point of reference.

6. One elevator in Edmunds won't solve the whole problem.
Correct! But it will solve a lot of it. And it will open up our public school to lots of children and community members currently screened out. And all of our children will benefit from inclusion and diversity, and from seeing the Golden Rule in practice. Also, the law is clear that this community is obliged to START implementing a solution, and this one elevator in the middle school will be a huge downpayment on this long-overdue obligation.

7. There's no money for this kind of thing.
Oh, there's always money. Especially in the United States of America... the largest, richest, most dominant county in the history of the world. It won't be easy, but it just takes work, smarts, connections and a bit of luck to find it. And we've got a great group of school administrators and commissioners who have all that. They only need to become absolutely determined to open up this school and end the discrimination and segregation... then get busy.

That's the reality.

Barnes School PTO supports accessibility

2009-05-18T22:42:00.002-04:00

Meghan O'Rourke shared just now the following statement from the Barnes School PTO in Burlington's Old North End...

Statement on Accessibility for Edmunds

Lawrence Barnes School supports accessibility at all schools. We urge the board to move forward with finding ways to ensure that every child is able to attend his/her neighborhood or district school. The connections that kids build in elementary schools are often an important foundation for middle school friendships and consequential learning. If a child attends Champlain or Edmunds elementary, he or she should not be excluded from peers at Edmunds Middle schools because of a 20 year lack of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. We appreciate historic building preservation and we also appreciate raising the future to respect and accommodate all children regardless of their ability to walk." - Barnes School PTO

So, how much will the elevator cost?

2009-05-14T17:16:00.002-04:00

Good question.

The school district's architect proposed a $1.5 million solution for Edmunds that includes a four-building fire alarm (about $500,000), a new building-wide electrical system for the middle school (about $500,000) and a five-stop elevator, including the attic, for the middle school (about $500,000). It likely makes sense to do these three projects at the same time, but it's clearly NOT a $1.5 million elevator.

Edmunds Accessibility on the Radio

2009-05-14T14:45:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Anne Barbano. She lives in Burlington and made a film called Living the Autism Maze... important stuff. She also hosts a radio show on The Radiator called The Next Frontier. [Click on the date below to listen to the show.]

Anne and guest talked on the May 13, 2009 show about Edmunds school accessibility...

1990 American Disabilities Act. 2009 - Still working on it. Vermont prides itself on inclusion. Why do we still have issues around physical access into our public buildings... Listen in on a conversation with Michael Wood-Lewis regarding this daily reality.

Free Press covers Edmunds accessibility

2009-05-08T10:08:00.015-04:00

More media coverage about Edmunds accessibility. Molly Walsh covered the story for the Burlington Free Press today (below).

Aimee Picchi's Blog - 02/20/2011
Channel 17 - 01/23/2011
The Independent - Winter 2011
BurlingtonPol.com - 01/20/2011
Seven Days - 01/20/2011
WCAX - 01/19/2011
Fox 44 News - 01/19/2011
Including Samuel Facebook - 01/10/2011
Burlington Free Press - 01/06/2011
Burlington Free Press - 09/10/2009
WCAX - 09/02/2009
Fox 44 News - 09/01/2009
Seven Days Blurt - 06/03/2009
Burlington Free Press - 05/08/2009
WPTZ - 05/08/2009
Seven Days Blurt - 05/07/2009
Seven Days - 05/06/2009
WCAX - 04/28/2009
WPTZ - 04/28/2009
Seven Days - 02/18/2009

Edmunds explores accessibility
By Molly Walsh, Burlington Free Press
May 8, 2009

The first phase of a proposal to make the four-story Edmunds Middle School handicap accessible would cost about $1.6 million, according to a new Burlington School District study.

That price tag would cover the cost of one elevator and a major upgrade to the building’s electrical and fire safety systems.

The estimate is part of a feasibility study completed this week for the Burlington School Board in response to calls from the public to make the historic Edmunds school complex on Main Street fully accessible.

The report by local architect Colin Lindberg was presented to a School Board subcommittee Tuesday night. Last week, about 60 people, including some who are members of new group called ACCESS Burlington, attended a meeting to demand improvements.

The School Board has not approved the access plan or secured funding to modify the two circa 1900 schools full of stairs and spaces that are off limits to people in wheelchairs. Many board members have said they want to find a solution.

Federal stimulus money is not available to help fund the project, said Jeanne Collins, Burlington schools superintendent. The stimulus money the district is receiving through the federal Title I program cannot be used on buildings, and the district’s request for money from the state’s pot of stimulus money was denied. Efforts to obtain grant money have also failed.

Still, those who are calling for full access are optimistic. After years of inertia, they see momentum for change.

“My family, for one, is thrilled with the progress that seems to be under way right now,” said Michael Wood-Lewis, a Burlington father of four and co-founder of the Front Porch Forum. “We’re not there yet. Nothing’s been built. No money has been secured, but there seems to be an acknowledgement that as a community we simply have to fix this problem, and I believe we can.”

His son Ben, a third-grader at Champlain Elementary School in the South End, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Under current district practice, Ben will not be able to attend his neighborhood middle school, Edmunds, when he reaches sixth grade. When his classmates go off to Edmunds, Ben will go to Hunt Middle School in the New North End because the one-story building is accessible to students in wheelchairs.

It’s unfair to segregate students in this way, Wood-Lewis argues, and wrong for the broader community to be shut out of the two buildings for plays, parent-teacher conferences and other events. At public meetings on the issue, residents have spoken about the difficulty teachers and students face when they become injured and need to use crutches, or develop other health problems that make it difficult to go up and down many flights of stairs.

Proponents of better access say the situation violates the spirit and letter of federal laws requiring handicap access. School district officials maintain that by providing access to an “equivalent program” in another district school, Burlington is in compliance with the law.

The estimate to make both Edmunds buildings fully accessible is $10 million to $15 million, Collins said. That would include four elevators and extensive remodeling.

Whether Burlington is willing to spend that much is unclear. City voters have been in a generous mood in the last two years and approved budget increases totaling 20 percent — increases that are well above the state average. This year voters also approved a $9.7 million bond and gave the School Board permission to increase its annual bonding capacity from $750,000 to $2 million.

Some residents have said the increases are too much, especially in a sour economy. Last fall the School Board iced plans for a school improvement mega-bond request that started at $226 million and was chopped to $92 million after many residents and city officials complained that even the smaller amount was unaffordable.

The Edmunds elevator project is competing with many other projects for funding in the district’s real estate portfolio of nine buildings totaling 602,600 square-feet. “There’s going to be some tough decisions to make,” Collins said.

Wood-Lewis stressed that only a portion of the $1.6 million phase I price tag is for an elevator — the rest is for infrastructure upgrades. “This is work that has to be done anyway,” he said. “I hope it’s made clear to people that it’s not a $1.5 million elevator.”

He believes city residents and school officials can make it happen. “I have every confidence that we’ll be able to figure this out and get it paid for.”

Contact Molly Walsh at 660-1874 or mwalsh@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com.

Edmunds Accessibility - Getting Closer - Need to Push Now!

2009-05-06T12:04:00.018-04:00

A vocal crowd of 70 people showed up at a committee meeting of the Burlington school board last week to speak out about Edmunds accessibility. Most of the school board and administrators were there, and one-third of the City Council stayed for more than an hour asking questions and adding their voice to this issue. Two legal experts spoke about the relevant federal and state laws, including ADA, IDEA and Section 504, making it clear that our school district is not in compliance with the law.

But the most compelling words were spoken by the people... our elders, our children, our teachers, our neighbors. People told of their shock upon learning that Edmunds, Vermont's most prominent public school building, essentially bars children and community members who use wheelchairs from entering.

The good news is that we're making real progress together (update here) and that it's easy for you to weigh in. Our school leaders need to know what you think about Edmunds accessibility. If you've spoken up in the past, please do so again now. And this is a community-wide challenge, so we need to include a wide array of elected officials. Please take all or some of the steps below and send the loud and clear message that...

"Edmunds school should have been made accessible decades ago. We're closer than ever before to finally getting this critical job done. Please actively add your support to the construction of Edmunds' first elevator, to be installed by 2010. Please also help direct city, state and/or federal funds to this project."

1. Attend the next full school board meeting. Just be present or speak up during the public comment period. May 19, 2009, 7 PM, Burlington High School cafeteria.

2. Write letters to the editors of the Burlington Free Press and Seven Days. Also, alert your neighbors about this issue via Front Porch Forum, and comment on the Seven Days blog post and Free Press article online.

3. Contact Burlington School Commissioners.

4. Contact Mayor Kiss.

5. Contact Burlington City Councilors.

6. Contact Governor Douglas.

7. Contact your Vermont State Reps. and State Senators.

8. Contact Vermont's Congressional Delegation: Sen. Leahy, Sen. Sanders, Rep. Welch.

9. Keep up to date... subscribe to this blog.

Teachers' Union Backs Edmunds Accessibility

2009-04-30T12:25:00.002-04:00

BEA backs Edmunds School accessibility...

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.

More TV Coverage of Edmunds Accessibility

2009-04-28T23:38:00.009-04:00

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

2009-04-28T10:17:00.003-04:00

Mia Moran filed this story for WPTZ Channel 5 News...

(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.

An Edmunds Teacher's Voice

2009-04-24T14:06:00.001-04:00

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.

Sample letter to VT Legislators

2009-04-22T11:59:00.001-04:00

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

Sample Letter to Governor Douglas

2009-04-21T11:32:00.001-04:00

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.

Help end segregation in Burlington schools... act today!

2009-04-20T21:29:00.009-04:00

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

Mobility is a Right... letter to the editor

2009-03-26T08:50:00.002-04:00

Here's a letter to the editor from the March 25, 2009 Seven Days...

MOBILITY IS A RIGHT
Talk about old school [“Old School,” February 18]. My sister had mobility issues and attended school in the 1950s and ’60s. By the time she was 14, she was using a wheelchair. She had to stop attending school and be tutored at home, creating intense isolation. To get into a movie, we had to use the back door. To get into church, we had to recruit men to carry her in and out.

No public buildings were accessible, and even private homes had steep stairways and bathroom doors that were too narrow for a typical wheelchair to fit through.

The world said, “You do not exist” to her.

The ADA has been wonderful, but too many people think it’s providing something extra for people with mobility issues. Think about it: If we constructed buildings without stairs and doors and expected everyone to be able-bodied enough to climb a knotted rope to get in and out through the windows, we might gain some perspective. Why then do we assume that buildings are supposed to have stairs and hard-to-open doors, instead of ramps and accessible entrances?

For too many years, opening our public buildings to the disabled has been considered a favor, when it’s just as much a right as stairs and doors.

I’m disgusted with the current so-called fiscal responsibility that once again squeezes out school projects, especially ADA projects. I hope someday we recognize the difference between a favor and a right, especially when most of us enjoy that right.

Pat Goudey O’Brien
WARREN

Winooski working on accessibility... how about Burlington?

2009-03-09T09:38:00.003-04:00

Winooski is a fraction of the size of Burlington, and they're solving their accessibility problems... how about Burlington schools? From today's Burlington Free Press...

Committee making Winooski more accessible

WINOOSKI -- A committee has been working quietly for more than a year to improve access to Winooski buildings for people who are physically disabled.

The Winooski Accessibility Committee, formed in September, 2007, is helping people who are disabled deal with problems with getting into public buildings and other areas of the city.

Committee member Lynn Hatin said the group has already contributed to improvements on the railroad tracks on East Allen Street. Wheelchairs tended to get caught on the tracks, so the city made some modifications so that wheelchairs can roll by unhindered.

The committee noticed that doors at the Winooski Community Center initially did not open automatically, making it difficult for people with disabilities to get inside, Hatin said. The doors have since been modified, and Hatin said the city was cooperative when the issue was brought up.

Hatin said people sometimes say that if a building isn't completely handicapped accessible, others can help people in wheelchairs gain access. But she said people like her, who use a wheelchair, prefer not ask for help. "We want to be independent," she said.

The next task is City Hall, said Suzan Maynard, chairwoman of the accessibility committee. It's difficult or impossible for people in wheelchairs to open the building's doors, she said.

The committee is not asking the city to spend money on improvements. The committee will likely seek grant money to pay for the needed work. City officials have been receptive to the idea of altering City Hall's doors, Maynard said.

Maynard said everyone in Winooski deserves to have full access to the city's buildings. "I can no longer walk on my own, but I shouldn't have to sit in a corner now," she said. "Life goes on and people need to realize that we have just as much of a right to access as others," she said.

The Winooski Accessibility Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at City Hall. The next committee meeting is in April.

Contact Matt Sutkoski at 660-1846 or msutkosk@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com.

Letters about Edmunds Accessibility

2009-03-04T13:11:00.002-05:00

Two spot-on letters to the editor in the March 4, 2009 Seven Days (in response to their feature on Edmunds' lack of accessibility)...

EQUAL ACCESS FOR ALL
To ask that a school embrace children of all abilities is not selfish at all [“Old School, February 18]! If every member within the community had a child with a disability, they would see the importance of being able to enter through the front door. Talk about something that is taken for granted by most! If people would just take a moment and put themselves in someone else’s shoes, we would not have the issues we do.
As the parent of a blind child, I can relate to the requests, and I can remember the waiting and waiting and waiting we endured before getting any response! The squeaky wheel gets the grease, parents — you keep on asking and asking until your children get what they deserve: equality! I get the budget issues, I do, but these are children who deserve the very same as every other child! . . .

The answer is not to separate them from their friends, alienate them more than they already are and say it is about money! There is no price on a child’s psychological well-being; it is time we think about the whole person! In 2009, in the wealthiest country in the world, we continue to have the equality conversations. Maybe we are doing something wrong here.

Ann Atkins
ESSEX
THE PRICE IS NOT RIGHT
Between $10 million and $15 million to retrofit Edmunds to make it handicap accessible [“Old School, February 18]?! Am I the only one who finds the trumpeting of such a figure by the school district to be shameless at best? That figure, without a doubt, is a pile-on wish list of upgrades for Edmunds, most of which have no direct relationship to making the school accessible, however justified or overdue these wish-list upgrades might be in their own right.

Let’s not use the worthy and overdue cause of accessibility to tack on every other wish-list project. Case in point is the suggestion that the school’s entire electrical system will need to be upgraded to handle the elevator. Any electrician knows that one could simply run a separate panel and isolate the elevator from the rest of the building. But, heck, if we can get an upgraded electrical system out of it, let’s inflate the price tag, even if it is at the expense of physically disabled children.

Vermont and Vermonters have long been lauded for their ingenuity, industriousness and independence — not on waiting for the federal government to write a check, not on bureaucratic red tape and feasibility studies, and not on the mentality that breeds defeat. If we were only to put the strength of these disabled children to the task, the job would already be done. Let’s roll, Edmunds!

Daniel Foley
GEORGIA

Mayoral Candidates - Take 3

2009-02-26T15:52:00.002-05:00

Burlington Mayoral candidates addressed Edmunds Middle School accessibility again the other night... this time at the People's Forum hosted by the Vermont Workers' Center. Here's Take 1 and Take 2. Check Take 3 below from CCTV (the question is asked about three-quarters into the video clip)...

Loop holes and fineprint

2009-02-23T14:31:00.004-05:00

Another relevant cartoon by Michael Giancreco. Learn more and order some of his work here.

School Board Members discuss Edmunds Accessibility

2009-02-22T13:23:00.004-05:00

Three Burlington school board members were asked about Edmunds Middle School accessibility on Feb. 19 at the Wards 4 & 7 NPA meeting... impressive considering that most of the kids in the New North End attend Hunt Middle School instead.

CCTV captured their answers in the video clip below... about ten minutes' worth about one-sixth of the way into the clip.

Mayoral Candidates take another Stab at EMS Accessibility Question

2009-02-21T15:42:00.004-05:00

AARP Vermont hosted a Burlington mayoral debate on February 19. The candidates were asked about making Burlington schools accessible for all community members. They each seem to be refining their answer as compared to a previous debate.

CCTV captured the video. The question comes about 20-25% of the way into the video clip.

Ask Burlington Mayoral Candidates about EMS Accessibility

2009-02-20T17:35:00.004-05:00

Please attend one of the many candidate forums for Burlington Mayor and ask how they plan to make Edmunds Middle School accessible in the next two years. This project has been put off for decades... no more delays!

Feb. 22 - Ohavi Zedek, 3-5 PM

Feb. 24 - Vermont Workers' Center, 7-9 PM, 294 N Winooski Ave

Feb. 25 - Boys and Girls Club, 6:30-7:30 PM, 62 Oak St

Feb. 26 - Burlington DFA and Green Mountain Daily, 7-8:30 PM, Sapa Coffee & Tea, 9 Center St

Contact Public Officials about School Accessibility

2009-02-20T12:45:00.003-05:00

Please contact your public officials today and ask them to support making Burlington schools accessible to all students and community members, regardless of physical disabilities.

Mayoral Candidates' Position on Edmunds Accessibility

2009-02-19T11:56:00.005-05:00

The four major candidates for Mayor in Burlington were asked last night the following question at the Ward 5 NPA meeting...

A surprising two-thirds of Burlington public school buildings are not fully accessible to people with disabilities. Edmunds Middle School is the worst offender. It is, arguably, the most prominent school building in the State of Vermont, sitting, as it does, on Main Street in our largest city. Yet, this public school building and community meeting place is segregated. Students, parents and grandparents, teachers, and community members who use wheelchairs are not welcome. They are, effectively, barred from entering.

In the decades since our federal disability civil rights laws were enacted, we have done almost nothing to remedy this problem here in Burlington. So, my question for each of the candidates...

If elected Mayor, what steps will you take to concretely fix this problem within the next two years?

Listen to their responses at about the 59-minute mark (2/18/2009)... XML or iTunes

UPDATE: Here's the audio clip of just this one question and the candidates' answers.

Edmunds Middle School Accessibility Article

2009-02-18T13:54:00.005-05:00

A Feb. 18, 2009 Seven Days cover story by Aimee Picchi...

Middle schoolers whiz through the halls, laughing and talking, books in their swinging hands. It’s a change of period at Edmunds Middle School, and the students are pounding up and down stairs to make it to their classes on time.

Most of them may not give the 19th-century building’s layout a second thought. But Burlington resident and parent Michael Wood-Lewis does. His oldest child uses a wheelchair. Chris Giard, director of property services for the Burlington School District, is winding up a tour of the property, pointing out to Wood-Lewis why students with mobility problems can’t attend the Edmunds schools: stairs, stairs and more stairs.

For much of the tour, Wood-Lewis — the founder and owner of neighborhood email listserv Front Porch Forum — has been quiet. But in the stairwell, pausing amid the mingling scents of cafeteria food and stale gymnasium, he voices the question he’s been asking since his third-grader, who was born with cerebral palsy, first entered the school system: When will the Edmunds schools be made accessible to people with disabilities?

“This is the most prominent school in the state of Vermont, and yet we’re segregating our kids,” Wood-Lewis tells Giard. His voice contains a touch of resignation, as if he may not expect an answer. “Everyone has been kind, but when is it going to get done?”...
Click here to read the entire piece.
UPDATE: Read two excellent letters to the editor in response to this article.

A Simple Truth

2009-01-15T14:02:00.002-05:00

Michael Giancreco's cartoons about special education and disabilities are right on target. Learn more and order some of his work here.

Welcome to ACCESS Burlington

2009-01-15T13:26:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the website for ACCESS Burlington, a new group dedicated to making the public school buildings of Burlington, Vermont fully accessible to all of our children and community members. Currently, about two-thirds of the facilities are not fully accessible.