| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing October 1-15, 2008, as |
| 3 | "Disability History and Awareness Weeks" and encouraging |
| 4 | elementary and secondary schools and postsecondary |
| 5 | institutions to provide instruction on disability history, |
| 6 | people with disabilities, and the disability rights |
| 7 | movement. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | WHEREAS, according to the United States Census, in 2000, |
| 10 | this state had a population of 3,274,566 people with |
| 11 | disabilities, who comprised a large percentage of the total |
| 12 | population of 15,982,378 persons, and |
| 13 | WHEREAS, the National Center for Education Statistics |
| 14 | reported that in 2002 the K-12 education system in this state |
| 15 | included 379,609 students with disabilities, or approximately 20 |
| 16 | percent of the student body, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is |
| 18 | founded on four principles: inclusion, full participation, |
| 19 | economic self-sufficiency, and equality of opportunity for all |
| 20 | people with disabilities, and |
| 21 | WHEREAS, research has shown that students with disabilities |
| 22 | have a harder time fitting in with their peers, making friends, |
| 23 | and becoming involved in school and community-based activities |
| 24 | and clubs, and |
| 25 | WHEREAS, to ensure the full inclusion of people with |
| 26 | disabilities in society, it is necessary to expand the public's |
| 27 | knowledge, awareness, and understanding of the history of |
| 28 | disabilities and the disability rights movement, and |
| 29 | WHEREAS, a key method of promoting such understanding is |
| 30 | the provision by the elementary and secondary schools of |
| 31 | instruction concerning disability history, people with |
| 32 | disabilities, and the disability rights movement through the |
| 33 | school curriculum, school assemblies, and other school |
| 34 | activities, and |
| 35 | WHEREAS, it is desirable that postsecondary institutions |
| 36 | promote activities that provide education, awareness, and |
| 37 | understanding regarding people with disabilities, and |
| 38 | WHEREAS, the Legislature also encourages cooperation |
| 39 | between educational institutions and community-based |
| 40 | organizations, including centers for independent living, youth |
| 41 | information centers, and parent training and information |
| 42 | centers, as a way to promote better treatment and fairer hiring |
| 43 | practices for people with disabilities, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 44 |
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| 45 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 46 | Florida: |
| 47 |
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| 48 | That the Florida House of Representatives urges all |
| 49 | elementary and secondary schools to provide instruction on |
| 50 | disability history, people with disabilities, and the disability |
| 51 | rights movement, with special emphasis during the first 2 weeks |
| 52 | of October, and periodically throughout the school year, and |
| 53 | encourages postsecondary institutions to conduct and promote |
| 54 | educational activities concerning these subjects. |
| 55 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that October 1-15, 2008, be |
| 56 | recognized as "Disability History and Awareness Weeks" in this |
| 57 | state. |