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CEA Human and Civil Rights Commission
The CEA Human and Civil Rights Commission is a standing commission responsible for proposing policies and activities which support CEA's strategic objective to advance racial, economic and gender equity in Connecticut's public schools and within the Association.
For more information about the work of this commission contact Robyn Kaplan-Cho, Staff Liaison. You can also reach her at 860-525-5641 or 800-842-4316.
The Human and Civil Rights Reporter is published biannually by the Connecticut Education Association Human and Civil Rights Commission and CEA's Policy and Professional Practice Department. This newsletter is intended to provide CEA members with legal perspectives on various human and civil rights issues.
If you are interested in having your local association host one of these workshops, contact your local association president or CEA UniServ representative for more information.
Bargaining Special Education Language: Where Students' Rights and Teachers' Rights Intersect
Your contract can serve as an important vehicle for protecting your rights and advancing your concerns as a teacher working with special education students. In this workshop, teachers will learn how to integrate special education issues into the collective bargaining process. Participants will study the pros and cons of negotiating contract provisions related to performing health procedures, teacher notification and scheduling of PPT meetings, professional development opportunities, class-size limitations, local dispute resolution procedures for special-education-related problems, placement decisions, and many more related topics. Model contract language will be provided. This workshop is ideal for negotiating committees and teachers with a particular interest in this area of the law.
Length: 2+ hours (CEUs offered)
Presenter: Robyn Kaplan-Cho, CEA
Myth Busters: Understanding Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities in the Special Education Process
This workshop focuses on the laws of special education with a particular emphasis on regular and special education teachers' rights and responsibilities when participating in the special education process. Participants will learn what the law requires of them as well as what they can and cannot do in such areas as PPT meetings, drafting IEPs, and accommodating students in the regular education environment. The impact of special education laws on teachers' working conditions as well as changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will be integrated into the workshop.
Length: 2+ hours (CEUs offered)
Presenter: Robyn Kaplan-Cho, CEA
Section 504: An Emerging Issues for Teachers
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is receiving increased attention in schools. This workshop will provide an overview of the civil rights law, its procedural requirements (with an emphasis on the eligibility process) and relationship to IDEA, and its applicability to such timely issues as AD(H)D, field trips, allergies, and AIDS. A case-study method is utilized.
Length: 2+ hours (CEUs offered)
Presenter: Robyn Kaplan-Cho, CEA
Taking A Stand: Creating Safe Schools For All Students
This workshop is designed for all school personnel who are interested in addressing bias regarding sexual orientation and gender issues. It uses video clips and hands-on activities to examine the obvious and subtle ways that bias plays out in schools. It also offers resources for creating schools that are safe for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Length: 90-120 minutes
Presenter: National Education Association (NEA) Certified Trainers
Walking The Talk: Classroom Resources For Addressing Bias
This is an advanced workshop for K-12 classroom instructors. It examines approaches to designing and integrating activities into the classroom that raise awareness of bias and empower students to advocate for change, especially around gay, lesbian bisexual or transgendered (GLBT) bias.
Length: 90-120 minutes
Presenter: National Education Association (NEA) Certified Trainers
Legal Analysis of Final IDEA '04 Regulations
A summary legal analysis of relevant provisions of the final IDEA regulations as published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006 and effective on October 13, 2006
NEA Summary of the 2% Assessment Rule Under the IDEA
On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, a reauthorization of the federal special education law referred to as the IDEA. Although many changes were enacted, its true impact was not completely understood until the U.S. Department of Education released the federal IDEA regulations (including Comments) on August 14, 2006
Update on the P.J. Case - September, 2009
P.J. et al v. State of Connecticut, State Board of Education (P.J.) stands as one of Connecticut's most significant cases in the area of special education. The 1991 class action lawsuit filed on behalf of mentally retarded/intellectually disabled (MR/ID) students and their families was settled in 2001.
Capitol Place, Suite 500 
Phone: 860-525-5641 
