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North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live is a daily, five-minute newscast that shines a spotlight on the stories and perspectives of Minnesota’s diverse communities, including Black, Latine, Asian American, East African individuals, people living with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+ residents, laborers, veterans, and those from Greater Minnesota.
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HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR: In today's stories, a new strain of COVID with a primary symptom you should know about. Then, a Minnesota family celebrates a Supreme Court victory. And a new program to help Native youth get in shape. I'm Gracie J.
The feeling that you're swallowing razor blades is often how people describe strep throat. Now, experts are saying that's a signature symptom for the new strain of COVID-19. Doctors say that as the virus evolves, our body's response to it changes as well, and that could explain the changing symptoms. The Minnesota Department of Health says if you are recovering from COVID, you should stay home and stay away from others until your symptoms are getting better and you are fever-free for at least 24 hours. You can find more information about protecting yourself from the new strain of COVID on the Department of Health's website.
Next, a Minnesota family's fight for their daughter's accommodations for her disability ended at the U.S. Supreme Court. Now, because of their case, students with disabilities across the country have stronger protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Katharine DeCelle has the story.
Katharine DeCelle: Thanks to a Minnesota family, students with disabilities across the country now have the same protections as anyone else covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA.
Aaron Tharp: We moved to Minnesota in 2015.
Katharine DeCelle: That's Aaron Tharp. The Tharp family had been advocating for their daughter Ava for the past 10 years, Ava has epilepsy and often experiences seizures early in the day. When the family moved to Osseo, a suburb of the Twin Cities, they asked the school district for a modified schedule.
Aaron Tharp: We sent Ava's IEP to the school district. We were led to believe that they would adopt the Kentucky IEP the day before school started. The school district decided that it would not adopt the IEP, and they reduced Ava's services.
Katharine DeCelle: An IEP, or Individualized Education Program, is a legally mandated document under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. It outlines a student's specific special education services tailored to their needs. This disagreement over Ava's schedule and her right to accommodations ultimately led to a legal challenge, which went all the way to the US Supreme Court. Lawyer Nick Rosellini with the law firm, Latham and Watkins explains his case.
Nick Rosellini: There was this rule floating around in the lower courts that had this, we think, make-believe, made-up standard that basically said children with disabilities have to actually clear a higher standard than anyone else suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act. So it's harder for children with disabilities to prove their ADA claims than it is for any other plaintiff.
Katharine DeCelle: The US Supreme Court receives thousands of petitions to hear cases each year, but only takes on a small fraction of them. Ava's father Aaron--
Aaron Tharp: It's extraordinary for the Supreme Court to take any case. What are they taking? Fifty-, sixty-some cases a year? We knew it was a very difficult argument to make, but we were hopeful.
Katharine DeCelle: During the Supreme Court hearing, the legal question revolved around whether children with disabilities had to prove schools were discriminating against them. As attorney Rosellini explains, that's a higher standard than other ADA cases.
Nick Rosellini: Would you lay out what this rule is? Oh, kids with disabilities, they have to clear a higher standard than anybody else. I think most people would hear that and be like why? That seems very odd and unfair.
Katharine DeCelle: And the US Supreme Court agreed. They ruled unanimously that the rule was unfair.
Nick Rosellini: Children with disabilities in Minnesota and the rest of the country now get the same fair shot at proving their claims as anyone else with a disability,
Katharine DeCelle: Ava's father Aaron--
Aaron Tharp: My hope is that school districts take this moment to do better.
Katharine DeCelle: In a statement in response to the ruling, Osseo Public School District says that it is committed to educating and providing needed services for every student. For North Star Stories, I'm Katharine DeCelle.
ANCHOR: You are listening to North Star Stories.
A 330-thousand-dollar grant is helping Native American girls hit their stride. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is teaming up with the nonprofit Girls on the Run to engage Native girls in grades three through eight in fitness and leadership programs. The money will support outreach and training for coaches and cover the program costs for up to 600 native girls over the next three years. The partnership is part of Shakopee's IndigeFit Kids, a six-million-dollar campaign promoting health and well-being for Native youth through culturally informed programs.
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HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.