Readers Write: Disability resources, executive overreach

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Last week, I received a short video of my 13-year-old granddaughter skiing for the first time during a school outing. In the video, her friend offers words of encouragement and a big embrace when my granddaughter skis into her friend’s outstretched arms. It brought me to tears.

You see, my granddaughter Ellie isn’t your “typical” middle school student. She is a beautiful, silly, smart and sassy seventh-grader who also has cognitive impairments and global delays. Yet, because of a wonderful program called Unified at Edina’s Southview Middle School that pairs students with and without special needs across academic and social settings, Ellie was able to join in the fun with her peers and learn a new skill. That wouldn’t be possible without the incredible student peers who give their time and hearts to demonstrate inclusive leadership by building friendships, celebrating differences and learning alongside — and from — kids like Ellie. These compassionate and wise middle schoolers could teach us a thing or two about acceptance, kindness and inclusion.

As my news feed fills with disturbing stories about this administration’s move to freeze funding for programs that serve the disabled, its attack on DEI, its promise to gut the Department of Education, and the devastating impact that would have on special ed, I’m fearful about what this will mean for Ellie and millions of special needs kids like her. But what gives me hope are programs like Unified that knock down barriers, teach empathy and create a new mindset of inclusion for this next generation. I can’t wait to see how they lead us!

God bless the dedicated special ed teachers and the incredible student peers in the Edina Unified program for giving my sweet Ellie the chance to participate. The opportunity to make friends. A reason to belong. And, most importantly, a way to be included! Contrary to what this administration’s actions are telling Ellie, Edina Unified is showing her that she is worthy and she matters. I will continue to pray and fight to ensure that no politician or billionaire “special government employee” will take that away from Ellie or people like her.

Lynda Michielutti, Edina

A spokesperson for the governor said in the Feb. 6 article “Minnesotans with disabilities say proposed budget cuts would ‘bring us backward’ ” that Minnesota has a “nation-leading status in providing services to vulnerable Minnesotans.” If so, why change things, Gov. Tim Walz? Wouldn’t common sense and Minnesota values suggest that you don’t change something that is working? As a professional who has managed services to vulnerable individuals for more than four decades in three states, including Minnesota, I have been amazed by what providers in Minnesota have been able to do without the steadfast support of the state.

In 1974 in Michigan, I engaged in a national model project to “[eliminate] inefficiencies and [slow] unsustainable growth” — which the governor’s spokesperson has said to be Walz’s goal. The first question that has to be asked is what research has been conducted to show there are inefficiencies? Without concrete evidence or study, this statement sounds more like a comment by Elon Musk. Then we have “unsustainable growth.” Again, no evidence is cited. Data from both the CDC and NIH show the growth in vulnerable populations, so growth will happen as the general population ages. Has state leadership considered what providers have had to deal with since COVID-19 trying to provide adequate staffing? Bonus payouts, higher entry-level salaries and increases in benefits are all necessary to just maintain current services.

State government should take a research approach on how to manage the expected growth. Reducing services is not the answer. A reasoned, practical approach involving stakeholders, researchers, fiscal managers and legislative staff should be used to fix the long-term problem. Meanwhile, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. Help providers stay in business until a sound long-term strategy can be found.

Finally, serving in the roles of administrator of a greater Minnesota provider, former chairman of the state DHS TBI Advisory Committee, member of the Hospital Review Board and consultant to DHS, I have learned that the agency could benefit from improved management and applying business models and skills to its operation. “Minnesota Nice” is great for personal interactions, but it does not foster effective and efficient management and administration of a large, complex agency. Unfortunate proof of that includes the recent failures of oversight and leadership by state agencies in cases that have been highlighted in this paper over the past two years. Bottom line, don’t punish providers for the state’s inability to fix its own problems.

Manfred Tatzmann, Brooklyn Center

There is a distinction between the “rule of law” and “rule by law.” Under the “rule of law,” which has been the standard in the U.S. since its founding, the law applies equally to all. The courts are the decider of what the law means and how it is applied. The courts do not work for the president. Under “rule by law,” the leader or a specific authority (e.g. Putin, Iranian religious leaders) decides what the law is and how it will be applied to individuals and institutions. Rule by law is what you see in authoritarian governments such as Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and China. Rule by law is applied in order to silence dissent and control the people.

The suggestion that the courts have no authority over the executive branch or that the executive branch can ignore laws and budgets passed by Congress indicates that we are headed for an authoritarian country with “democracy” being at the discretion of the leader.

Paul Huffman, Woodbury

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The following is a letter I mailed Monday to each of our state’s Republican U.S. representatives:

I know that you are under tremendous pressure not only from the executive branch but also from some of the more extreme elements of the Republican Party. I also feel that it is safe to assume that you are deeply troubled by the threats posed by the radical actions the recently installed executive has instituted and is carrying out and the unorthodox and probably illegal methods employed. You also have to be concerned about how some of these actions (think “tariff wars”) will directly affect the people you represent, especially farmers and everyone who is trying to keep a roof over their heads and provide for their families.

I have ancestors who fought in the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington. Others who fought with the Union Army in the Civil War. My father, my brother, my son, my grandson all served honorably in the U.S. military in war and in peace. Now it is time for you to meet the unprecedented assault on our constitutional republic. It may cost you, yes, but that is the risk you take when you put on the uniform and take up the mantle. But you can gain honor and self respect by knowing that in our country’s time of need you stood up and did what was right, what was honorable.