Historical and Legal Overview of Special Education Overrepresentation: Access and Equity Denied
The history of the denial of equal education opportunities to Black children is a long one, whether through racial segregation or overrepresentation in special education. No other group is as overreferred, overidentified, and overrepresented in special education as Black students, specifically Black males. The authors present an historical and legal overview of special education and critique in the 2015 report by Morgan, Farkas, Hillemeier, Mattison, Maczuga, Li, and Cook. Based on their analysis of limited criteria rather than comprehensive criteria, Morgan and colleagues claim that Blacks were not overrepresented in special education and that more should have been identified. This study created a swelter of discussion and debates that are not new but that the authors find to be biased, polemic, and deficit-oriented assertions. The potential impact of Morgan et al.'s work (arguments, findings, and conclusions) must be interrogated rather than discounted.
Contributor Notes
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D., Professor of Special Education and of Teaching and Learning in the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University, publishes and consults in gifted education and urban education. She has written several books and numerous articles.
Charles J. Russo, J.D., Ed.D., the Joseph Panzer Chair in Education in the School of Education and Health Services, Director of its Ph.D. Program, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Law at the University of Dayton, writes and speaks extensively on issues in Education Law.
