Black Girls w/ Disabilities: Pushed Out, Unsupported, Struggling to Learn

By The National Center for Learning Disabilities

1. We’ve made a lot of promises to students with

disabilities over the years: our federal civil
rights laws are the bedrock upon which we
build a lifetime of learning and growth for
students. But our promises are not kept equally
for all students: Black girls with disabilities are
often left holding the pieces of broken promises
made by policymakers and school leaders. From
inadequate educational experiences to constant,
harmful disciplinary practices, school is a
harmful place for many Black girls with disabilities.

2. NCLD, in conjunction with our partners at The Education Trust, wanted to hear more
from two of our Young Adult Leadership Council (YALC) members about their
experiences in school as Black girls with learning disabilities. Self-advocacy is one of
the key skills we hope students with disabilities will learn and develop over time.
Being a self-advocate is a survival skill for most students with disabilities, but Black
students with disabilities are often denied the chance to be self-advocates because of
societal views that cast them off as outspoken, disrespectful, or misbehaved.

3. Our YALC members shared their struggles with pull-out special education practices,
the value of having a Black teacher, and how important Black parents and guardians
are to helping their children become self-advocates. They also offered suggestions for
how advocates can lean in and improve p-12 educational systems to better support
Black students with disabilities.

4. This blog captures parts of a recorded conversation between Alyssia Jackson, YALC
Alumnus, Atira Roberson, current YALC Member, and Lynn Jennings, Ph.D., Senior
Director of National and State Partnerships at Ed Trust. We invite you to listen and
share your thoughts with us on Facebook or Twitter under the hashtag #BlackandLD.

Video 1: Are Black girls forced to choose between their race or their disability?
5. Black girls with disabilities often face difficult choices when advocating for
themselves in school. Social stigma about disabilities makes it harder to ask for help
and support when it’s needed. On top of that, Black girls are stereotyped as aggressive
and disrespectful when asking for what they need or challenging the status quo. For
some Black students with disabilities, this can pose a difficult decision: do I advocate
for myself and advocate for the support and accommodations I’m due to help me
learn, or do I remain quiet instead of risking discipline for racial and gender
stereotypes that plague our schools? Atira, Alyssia, and Lynn discuss more in this
clip: Video 2: A Triple Threat: Getting Into Good Trouble

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 6. Students with disabilities want their attributes and skills embraced in school and for
educators to connect with students at a different level. Begin with empathy, and build
learning systems for students with disabilities that meet them where they are. In this
clip, Atira and Alyssia talk about their experiences in special education programs, and
why they proudly embraced their identity as a triple threat: Black, disabled, and a
woman.

Video 3: The Impact of Black Educators in Classrooms (Please note - this video flashes
and obtains glitches throughout which might be difficult to view.)
7. In our last clip from this conversation, Alyssia, Atira, and Lynn discuss ways to make
school a more supportive environment, particularly as we recover from the COVID-
19 pandemic and address the trauma of institutionalized racism and ableism. Lynn
mentions an Ed Trust blog, Self-Advocacy or Defiance in Protests? the piece that
launched our conversation about self-advocacy for Black students with disabilities.

Please answer the questions below about the blog “Black Girls with Disabilities: Pushed
Out, Unsupported, Struggling to Learn”.

1. What ideas in the text connect to each of the girls' stories in the article “Black Girls
with Disabilities: Pushed Out, Unsupported, Struggling to Learn”? Explain using key
evidence from the text to support your answer.

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 Enter your response here.

2. According to the blog, why is self-advocacy a key skill for students with disabilities
to learn and develop?
Enter your response here.

3. What are some challenges that Black girls with disabilities face when advocating for
their needs? What are some ways schools can better support Black girls with
disabilities?
Enter your response here.

4. Summary: Summarize “Black Girls w/ Disabilities: Pushed Out, Unsupported,

Struggling to Learn”. Use key details from the text in your summary.
Enter your response here.

5. Analyze: After reading the blog and answering the questions, select one of the three
videos below to analyze. Be sure to answer the questions about your selected video.
a. Click here to access the videos and questions.

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