The Assault on Disability Rights: How Medicaid Cuts Threaten America's Most Vulnerable Students

The Stark Reality of Budget Cuts

President Donald Trump’s administration has launched a devastating attack on the rights and services of students with disabilities through nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts and the gutting of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education. These actions represent nothing less than a systematic dismantling of protections that have taken decades to establish and that millions of American families depend upon for their children’s education, healthcare, and basic dignity.

Medicaid provides critical funding for speech, occupational, and physical therapy, wheelchairs, in-home aides, and medical care for nearly 1 million children with disabilities in California alone. The Office of Civil Rights, meanwhile, enforces the 50-year-old law guaranteeing students with disabilities the right to attend school and receive appropriate education—a right that was hard-won after generations of exclusion and neglect.

The Human Cost of Policy Decisions

The article reveals heartbreaking stories of families like Lindsay Crain’s, who already face sleepless nights caring for their 16-year-old daughter’s seizures, now compounded by the terror of losing essential services. Lelah Coppedge describes the uncertainty surrounding her son Jack’s future—a bright student who excels at algebra and physics but requires government support for basic care despite his parents having private insurance. These families represent thousands across America who now face the prospect of their children losing the support systems that allow them to learn, grow, and participate in society.

The Broader Context of Disability Rights Erosion

This assault on disability rights extends beyond budget cuts. The administration has suggested moving special education from the Department of Education to Health and Human Services, which would shift the focus from educational inclusion to medical treatment—a philosophical regression that disability advocates rightly fear. Additionally, the Department of Transportation’s refusal to enforce rules protecting passengers with damaged wheelchairs and the president’s repeated use of disability slurs demonstrate a pattern of disregard for the dignity and rights of people with disabilities.

A Betrayal of American Values

These actions represent a profound betrayal of America’s commitment to equality, opportunity, and human dignity. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975 was a landmark achievement that recognized education as a fundamental right for all children, regardless of ability. By undermining this foundation, the administration attacks not just budget lines but the very principle that every American deserves the chance to reach their full potential.

The proposed Medicaid cuts particularly target the most vulnerable—immigrant families already facing deportation fears, low-income children, and English learners who are disproportionately represented in special education programs. This creates a multi-layered crisis that compounds existing inequalities and threatens to reverse decades of progress in educational equity.

The Philosophical Battle for Inclusion

At its core, this conflict represents a philosophical battle between viewing disability through a medical lens—as something to be cured or segregated—versus through an educational and social lens that emphasizes inclusion, accommodation, and equal participation. Karma Quick-Panwala of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund articulates the fear that moving special education to Health and Human Services would fundamentally alter how we understand disability rights, potentially returning to an era of segregation and limited expectations.

This shift threatens the hard-won recognition that students with disabilities belong in classrooms with their peers, learning alongside them, and contributing to the rich tapestry of our educational communities. The idea that disability is merely a medical condition to be treated rather than a human experience to be accommodated represents a dangerous regression in our collective understanding of human potential.

The Ripple Effects on Education and Society

The cuts to Medicaid funding will have cascading effects throughout the education system. Schools rely on Medicaid to pay for therapists, equipment, and services that benefit all students, not just those with disabilities. When these resources disappear, entire school communities suffer. The loss of funding will force difficult choices about which services to maintain and which to cut, creating impossible decisions for educators and administrators who want to serve all students effectively.

Furthermore, the uncertainty created by these proposed changes undermines the stability that families and schools need to plan for the future. As Kristin Wright notes, “We have a delicate web of services that, combined, support a whole child, a whole family.” When this web is disrupted, the consequences extend far beyond individual budget lines—they affect the entire ecosystem of support that enables students with disabilities to thrive.

The Moral Imperative to Protect Vulnerable Citizens

A society’s greatness is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members. By targeting services for students with disabilities, the administration demonstrates a shocking lack of moral compass and a disregard for fundamental American values. The families profiled in the article aren’t asking for special treatment—they’re fighting for the basic support that allows their children to access education, healthcare, and independence.

The fact that families like the Coppedges, who have private insurance and both parents working, still cannot afford their son’s care without government assistance underscores how essential these programs are. Medicaid and special education services aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities that enable participation in society and access to the American dream.

The Threat to Institutional Integrity

The gutting of the Office of Civil Rights represents more than just a budget reduction—it signals a deliberate weakening of the mechanisms that protect civil rights and ensure equal access to education. This office plays a crucial role in enforcing disability law and holding schools accountable for providing appropriate services. By undermining its capacity, the administration effectively reduces oversight and enforcement of laws that protect some of our most vulnerable citizens.

This pattern of institutional weakening extends beyond education to multiple agencies responsible for protecting civil rights, environmental standards, and consumer protections. It represents a dangerous trend toward reducing government’s role in protecting citizens from harm and ensuring equal treatment under the law.

The Path Forward: Resistance and Resilience

Despite these alarming developments, disability rights advocates emphasize that the laws protecting students with disabilities remain unchanged. Families still have legal rights to services outlined in their individual education plans, regardless of funding availability. The challenge becomes ensuring that schools and agencies have the resources to meet these obligations.

California’s commitment to maintaining its own special education protections regardless of federal actions provides some hope, but this cannot replace the necessary federal funding and support. The disability rights community has fought too long and too hard for inclusion and equality to allow these gains to be reversed now.

Conclusion: A Call to Conscience

The attacks on disability rights and services represent one of the most morally reprehensible aspects of current federal policy. They target children who deserve our protection, families who deserve our support, and principles that define our nation’s character. As Americans who believe in liberty, justice, and equal opportunity for all, we must raise our voices against these cruel and shortsighted policies.

We must contact our representatives, support disability rights organizations, and stand in solidarity with families facing these terrifying uncertainties. The progress we’ve made in disability rights represents some of America’s finest achievements—recognizing the inherent worth and potential of every individual. We cannot allow this progress to be undone by budget cuts and philosophical regression.

The stories of Lena Crain insisting on going to school despite sleepless nights, of Jack Coppedge excelling in physics despite communication challenges, and of countless other students striving to learn and participate remind us what’s at stake. These children aren’t problems to be solved or burdens to be borne—they’re Americans deserving of every opportunity to thrive. Our nation’s conscience and future demand that we protect their rights and their dreams.