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Disabled and trans-rights advocates ask Newton County Schools to oppose Georgia participation in Texas v. Kennedy
Summary
At public comment, a representative of Fight for 504 urged the school board to publicly oppose Georgia's participation in Texas v. Kennedy (formerly Texas v. Visera) and to pass a resolution protecting Section 504 rights for disabled students and visibility for LGBTQ students; Superintendent Bradley had agreed to meet with the speaker.
Amanda (Mandy) Rivers, representing the coalition Fight for 504 Plus, urged the Newton County Board of Education during public participation to publicly oppose Georgia's participation in the lawsuit identified in her remarks as "Texas versus Kennedy" (formerly titled Texas v. Visera) and to adopt a resolution protecting Section 504 civil-rights protections for disabled students.
Rivers told the board she emailed the superintendent on March 24 about the lawsuit and said she had not received a response until she called earlier the same day. She described the case as an effort that could, in her view, "render all of Section 504 unconstitutional," and said the lawsuit threatens protections used for students with disabilities and undergirds important civil-rights law.
Rivers asked the board to: publicly oppose Texas v. Kennedy on social media; pass a resolution supporting Section 504; ask Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr to withdraw Georgia from the lawsuit; and meet with her organization to discuss steps the district can take. Rivers said Superintendent Bradley indicated he was open to meeting.
Her comments also called for greater public visibility for Pride Month and communications supporting transgender, non-binary and disabled students, saying silence can harm students when equity and inclusion measures are contested. Rivers concluded her remarks by quoting disability-rights activist Judy Heumann and by noting she had provided additional information to the superintendent.
No board action or motion on Rivers' request was recorded in the meeting minutes; the remarks were made during the public participation portion of the agenda.
