Law students learned about the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 during a panel discussion Wednesday at the Law School.
This statute is the precursor to the Americans with Disabilities Act and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, programs receiving federal financial assistance, federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors.
The law allowed individuals with disabilities to move from profound segregation and exclusion to inclusion. “At the time of its passage, it was a fairly landmark piece of legislation,” said M. Geron Gadd, Legal Director for the Alabama Disabilities Program.
In addition to Gadd, the panelists were:
- Andrea Mixson, Senior Staff Attorney for ADAP
- Shandra Monterastelli, Law Fellow for ADAP
- Lonnie Williams, Staff Attorney for ADAP
The event was sponsored by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program.