Civil Rights Office Cuts Amid Autism Cases
The Trump administration has reduced support for autistic students by cutting federal agencies and funding, while a Black family alleges discrimination against their son in Florida schools.
Federal Agency Cuts Impact Autism Support
President Donald Trump’s second administration has cut federal agencies that protect autistic students, slashing offices and funding for research on disparities. The Office for Civil Rights, tasked with resolving complaints like those filed by Josette Smith, has seen seven of its 12 regional offices closed and its ability to follow up on cases weakened.
The cuts also shifted special-education oversight to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice, a reorganization that could leave families with overlapping complaints caught between agencies built for different purposes. Nancy Potter, a former supervising attorney at the Office for Civil Rights, said the change could make it harder for families to prove overlapping harms.
A Senate committee report from Senator Bernie Sanders concluded that the Office for Civil Rights had reached a 12-year-low in resolutions to discrimination complaints and had a backlog of nearly 12,000 civil-rights cases. A Washington Post investigation found that the Trump administration had “indefinitely froze” many of these cases.
The White House also vowed to stop “equity” investigations in areas such as school discipline, despite research showing that non-white and low-income children face higher barriers to autism identification and resource access. The administration further proposed ending data collection on racial disparities in school discipline.
The Institute of Education Sciences, the Department of Education’s research arm, saw roughly $900 million in funding canceled, ending long-standing data collection in schools. The National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation also purged projects referencing terms such as “race” and “gender,” reducing research focused on diversity, equity, or inclusion.
Case of Ethan Smith Highlights Discrimination
At Chain of Lakes Elementary School in Winter Haven, Florida, 9-year-old Ethan Smith, who has autism and ADHD, was diagnosed in kindergarten after exhibiting pacing, arm-flapping, and intense interests in Martin Luther King Jr. and dachshunds. During a meeting to develop his individualized education program, the school agreed he needed a trained paraprofessional to help regulate his emotions. Instead, administrators repeatedly removed him from instruction, suspended him, and even called police on him.
Smith, a seventh-grade science teacher, first filed complaints with the school district and the state. When problems persisted, she turned to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Her federal complaint alleged that the school discriminated against her son because of his disability and race, and that pressure tactics were used to push her Black son out of the public school. In May, the Office said it would investigate several of her allegations.
Smith’s case is pending, and she was told the decision could take more than a year amid the backlog. Ethan has now started fourth grade, and Smith wants him transferred to a school better equipped to support him. She has also requested an expedited hearing for a due-process complaint filed with the state.
Broader Implications for Disability Rights
The cuts to agencies and research have affected parts of the federal government focused on students with disabilities. Disability advocates say federal officials are focused on the wrong priorities, creating chaos where it is not necessary. Cameron Lynch, a former policy analyst for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, warned that the changes weaken the federal safety net for autistic students and others with disabilities.
David Sitcovsky, Autism Speaks’ vice president of advocacy, said families, especially those from marginalized communities, already often lack support for a timely diagnosis or services in their school systems. “The common thread across these issues is access,” Sitcovsky said. “If their child’s rights are not being upheld, do they have a clear path to get help?”
The family is also navigating battery charges. The first charge was filed in March after the school called police on Ethan for allegedly hitting staff. A police report and an email provided by Smith showed that police arrived at her door hours after she had informed the district in writing that she had filed a federal discrimination complaint. Smith pointed out the timing in several of her complaints.
A Polk County Public Schools spokesperson declined to comment, citing student confidentiality. The Florida Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment. The situation illustrates how the administration’s actions may undermine protections for autistic students and their families.
