Senate Resolution 39 - Introduced

PAG LIN

                                    S.R. ________ H.R. ________


  1  1                SENATE RESOLUTION NO.    
  1  2                      BY  HARTSUCH
  1  3 A Resolution to declare the third week of October,
  1  4    2007, Disability History Week in Iowa.
  1  5    WHEREAS, on July 26, 2006, Americans celebrated the
  1  6 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
  1  7 Act (ADA); and
  1  8    WHEREAS, since the ADA was enacted into law in
  1  9 1990, many changes have been made, creating a more
  1 10 accessible environment for America's approximately
  1 11 51.2 million people with disabilities; and
  1 12    WHEREAS, there are almost 400,000 persons with
  1 13 disabilities living in Iowa, according to the 2000
  1 14 United States Census; and
  1 15    WHEREAS, this number qualifies persons with
  1 16 disabilities as Iowa's largest minority group; and
  1 17    WHEREAS, Americans with disabilities face a 44
  1 18 percent unemployment rate; and
  1 19    WHEREAS, public attitudes continue to stigmatize
  1 20 people with disabilities as being less capable than
  1 21 those without disabilities; and
  1 22    WHEREAS, many people with disabilities feel that
  1 23 stigma and therefore are not comfortable talking about
  1 24 their disability; and
  1 25    WHEREAS, attitudes are formed at a young age; and
  1 26    WHEREAS, the curriculum in many Iowa schools
  1 27 includes information about the civil rights movement
  1 28 and women's rights movement, exposing students to the
  1 29 accomplishments of other minority groups; and
  1 30    WHEREAS, individuals with disabilities have
  2  1 achieved similar victories as a result of the
  2  2 disability rights movement; and
  2  3    WHEREAS, many famous people, including Ludwig Von
  2  4 Beethoven, Alexander Graham Bell, and Franklin Delano
  2  5 Roosevelt have been people with disabilities; and
  2  6    WHEREAS, students are not typically exposed to the
  2  7 disability rights movement; and
  2  8    WHEREAS, many Iowa teachers believe that their
  2  9 students should learn about the history and
  2 10 accomplishments of individuals with disabilities; and
  2 11    WHEREAS, Iowans with disabilities are eager to
  2 12 share their history and accomplishments with young
  2 13 people; and
  2 14    WHEREAS, such education will improve public
  2 15 attitudes toward individuals with disabilities for
  2 16 generations to come; NOW THEREFORE,
  2 17    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the third week
  2 18 of October, 2007, be declared Disability History Week
  2 19 in Iowa; and
  2 20    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa Department of
  2 21 Education is requested to encourage schools to conduct
  2 22 disability awareness activities during this week and
  2 23 to work with Iowa disability organizations to develop
  2 24 and disseminate a list of curriculum resources and
  2 25 presenters to assist schools in carrying out these
  2 26 activities.
  2 27 LSB 2850SS 82
  2 28 jr:nh/je/5