When Advocacy Becomes Survival
Parents Rise Against the Dismantling of Special Education Protections
In homes across the country, an uproar is growing louder.
It’s not coming from politicians or commentators — it’s coming from the parents of children with disabilities who have spent years fighting to ensure their kids get even the most basic access to education, communication, and dignity. Now, the systems they fought through are being dismantled, and their stories are a warning.
“If you’ve ever met a special needs mom who fights for her child… it’s game on.”
— Maribel Gardea, Parent Advocate, MindShiftED Parent Institute
For years, Maribel Gardea sat in meeting after meeting with San Antonio Public Schools, pleading for an eye gaze device for her 14-year-old son with cerebral palsy, who is non-verbal. She was ignored until she invoked IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law that protects children with disabilities and ensures they receive a free and appropriate public education.
That law and the U.S. Department of Education that enforces it may soon disappear.
In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order initiating the shutdown of the Department of Education, a move that has already resulted in mass layoffs and the closure of regional civil rights offices. Without this department, the safeguards that ensure our children are seen, served, and protected could vanish.
The Cost of Silence
The implications are terrifying. The Department of Education enforces the rights of students with disabilities, provides funding for special education services, and investigates when schools fail to meet their legal obligations. Its absence would disproportionately harm our most vulnerable students - particularly those with disabilities, from low-income communities, and students of color.
This is the opposite of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).
This is active exclusion.
This is targeted injustice.
And parents are refusing to sit quietly.
A Special Kind of Parent
Being the parent of a child with disabilities requires an unmatched level of resilience, resourcefulness, and relentlessness. We are teachers, caregivers, translators, and legal advocates. We fight for IEP meetings, for communication devices, for fair treatment, and for basic dignity.
Now, we're being asked to do even more to protect the very structure that gives us a path forward.
This is not just about policy. This is about people. It’s about our children’s future.
What Can You Do Right Now?
If you're a parent, ally, educator, or advocate — here's how you can stand up and take action today:
✅ 1. Share Your Story
Tell the world what IDEA and the Department of Education have meant for your child. Post a short video or story online and tag your local representatives.
✅ 2. Post and Tag Leaders
Use platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to call out this injustice. Tag leaders like your Congress members, school board reps, and any media channels you follow who is covering this movement.
✅ 3. Email Your Reps
Find out who supports school vouchers or privatization in Texas and nationally. Email them. Demand they fully fund public education and protect IDEA.
✅ 4. Engage with Awareness Posts
Don’t want to create your own? That’s okay! Like, comment, and share posts by parents, educators, and advocates to help amplify the message.
✅ 5. Build Community
Connect with organizations like MindShiftED Parent Institute and others that are equipping parents to lead and push back. You are not alone.
We Won't Go Quietly
Every time we speak up, we protect not just our own children, but the millions of others whose parents may not yet know how or who are too tired to fight one more battle.
We’re not just advocating.
We’re surviving.
And we’re building a future where every child * no matter their ability * gets what they need to thrive.
This is our call. This is our moment.
It’s game on.
Want to take action now? Start by sharing this post. Then tag your school board, your representatives, your friends and any parent and guardian you know. ✊🏽🧠💬
📖 Read the Full CNN Story
To learn more about Maribel Gardea’s fight for her son, the national threat to special education protections, and the growing movement of parents speaking out, read the full article by journalist Nicquel Terry Ellis (@NTerryEllis) on CNN:
Please read, share, and tag your representatives. Our voices are powerful — and now more than ever, they must be heard.
#SaveIDEA #DisabilityJustice #ParentAdvocacy #GameOn #InclusionMatters #StopTheShutdown #SpecialEducationMatters
