Beltway Area Indymedia

Today, Wednesday, April 18th, at noon, parents, children and their allies rallied at the Wilson building to demand that the mayor and city council commit to expanding and improving childcare services for all DC children, especially those with special needs.

At a rally called for by Empower DC (www.empowerdc.org), in preparation for next Monday’s Department of Human Services budget hearing (Monday, April 23rd, 3 PM, Room 500), the group made clear that children with special needs cannot wait another year for progress in child care, as politicians unaffected by crises situations cater to business interests and not the people of DC. In advance of the hearing folks are asked to call committee members Wells, Barry, Schwartz, Mendelson, and Thomas to demand expanded and improved child care services for children with special needs.

In an effort to mislead the public, the city says that 31,500 children are eligible for child care vouchers. This number, however, does not include children with special needs. Thus, the city is grossly misrepresenting the percentage of eligible families that are being served.

Spirited chants of ‘City Council, Hear Our Call! Excluding Children is Against the Law’ and ‘Child Care for Who? Child Care for All!’ were heard today, between astounding stories of children failed by the system.

One parent recounted that, on this very day, she and her child with special needs were forced to leave the child’s school (a charter school in this case) by the Metropolitan Police Department. Asking the principal of the school why they were being forced to leave, they were told, “...because I’m the principal and I said so.” This seemed to be indicative of the treatment that children with special needs are receiving in Washington, DC.

Another mother went on to say that she had lost her job as a result of her child’s unmet health needs. She is not alone, as over 30% of families with special needs children report having interruptions in their employment due to a lack of quality, affordable, reliable child care for their children.

Yet another parent went on to detail news just learned yesterday, of plans to cut a youth program servicing children with special needs.

There were many stories told, and these were but a few of those who were able to attend the rally.

Council member Kwame Brown later briefly stopped by, and pledged his support for affordable,quality child care for all children. Empower DC and its allies will surely hold him to that promise.

At about 12:45, the group went inside the building to speak with the Mayor and other council members, demanding that they provide more quality child care providers, properly trained staff, and programs close to families homes.

This is yet another example of city residents having to fight with politicians for social services the city should be providing in the first place. Linda Leaks of Empower DC correctly pointed out that Abe Pollin, a very rich man, was recently granted $50 million for renovations to the relatively new Verizon Center, without any rallies or lobbying necessary. In fact, council members were doing proverbial back flips to grant him the money. All who voted in favor were quickly given complementary luxury passes to the Verizon Center. With occurences like this, one can’t help but ask who our government is really serving; the people, or the profiteers?