25,000 complaints, and 7 minutes | 2

When the Trump administration gutted the Office for Civil Rights, around 25,000 complaints from families were stuck in limbo. One of them was filed by a mom in southern Indiana on behalf of her two kids with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. She’d spent years fighting for them after facing suspensions, exclusion, and a school that called her son a “bad kid.” In this episode, Anya Kamenetz spends a day with that family to see what it actually takes to advocate for a child’s education. The meetings. The paperwork. The years of being told your kid just isn’t trying hard enough. And what it means not that the office meant to protect their kids’ civil rights isn’t answering the phone. When a seven-minute lapse in supervision becomes the final straw, one family’s decision reveals just how much is riding on where a family happens to live. For more on this topic Read: How is special education funded? Read: What is the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and what’s its role in special education? For a transcript and more resources, visit Zero Reject on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/podcast-donate. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.