Filing Lawsuits to Get Help for Students With Dyslexia

As a nation, we have been fighting for awareness, diagnosis, and treatment for dyslexia since the late 1800s. As of the end of 2023, 42 states have laws addressing dyslexia. Wisconsin is the 42nd state. No new laws have been passed so far in 2024.

Even with these laws, untold numbers of students have yet to be identified. They suffer in silence, afraid of being teased and embarrassed by their inability to decode words and paragraphs.

Here is a recent article concerning a 16-year-old girl who was finally diagnosed and provided with science-based reading interventions after the Southern Poverty Law  Center (SPLC) fought for her in court.

This successful lawsuit is a significant victory. But SPLC and her parents now must focus on providing her with mental health care to reverse the impact of dealing with this disorder without acknowledgment of her struggles, self-doubt, and likely anxiety of being “discovered” and rejected based on her inabilities.

Check out this article and consider what students with dyslexia need to fully allow them to embrace learning and see themselves as capable human beings.

Using the legal system to get dyslexia services.