Readers may not be aware that the Trump administration has gutted the federal Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services during the shutdown. According to The Associated Press, nearly all staff responsible for overseeing $15 billion in funding for 7.5 million children with disabilities have been laid off.
There is now no one to ensure states like Utah comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or to help parents understand their children’s legal rights. OSERS staff review state plans annually, provide technical assistance, and can investigate when states fall out of compliance. Without them, there’s no federal accountability.
As a brother of a person with Down syndrome, this is deeply personal. I witnessed how federal oversight ensured my sibling received the services he was legally entitled to. My parents taught me that we have an ethical responsibility to protect our most vulnerable — a value I believe most Utahns share.
During this shutdown, the government finds money for ICE and the military. Yet it’s using this crisis to dismantle protections for disabled children. Multiple sources report these cuts may even violate federal law, since OSERS is legally required to exist. This dangerous precedent abandons our society’s commitment to those who need us most.
Seth Horowitz, Salt Lake City
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