While imperfect, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is certainly a step in the right direction. This legislation applies to all manner of discrimination against the disabled in relation to both work and school.

George Bush Senior signed this bill into law in the early nineties. It immediately had an impact on the school system. Prompted by the threat of a loss of funding, the first concrete enforcement against discrimination put into law, schools developed programs to help the disabled.

I know in my school we had a few different programs for special needs children. There was one for those who had learning disorders and also one specially made for those with behavior disorders. These are entirely different types of issues so it is nice to see them properly separated.

Reading up on this act I feel like these programs would not have existed without it. My principal at the time even said as much. That these new divisions in the school were brought about by government nudging. So for that I cannot help but be impressed. The only problem with this legislation form my reading seems to be in enforcement.

Some think of it as "paper tiger legislation" in that it does not really monitor the schools and waits for complaints to be lodged against it before taking action. But the fact that it exists at all and could be potentially enforced make it that much more worthwhile than nothing to me.

Learn more about this author, Royce Radcliffe.
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