PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- U.S. Senator Jack Reed and U.S. Rep. James Langevin have issued statements about the findings of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into the treatment of disabled Rhode Islanders by the state and the City of Providence.
The federal investigation found that Rhode Island and the City of Providence violated the rights of intellectually and developmentally disabled students and unnecessarily segregated them at the Harold H. Birch Vocational School and the Training Thru Placement program.
"Exploiting disabled students is unconscionable," Reed said in his statement. "There was a failure to protect these kids and there must be accountability. ... We must strive to do better and ensure there are pathways for disabled students for jobs that pay fair wages and that won't isolate them from the broader community."
Said Langevin: "The revelation of civil rights abuses in Rhode Island twenty three years after passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act is extremely troubling. There is simply no excuse for discrimination or segregation in any form, and we owe it to these children and others like them to ensure treatment like this is not allowed to continue.
"The settlement announced today appears to be a positive step toward addressing the mistakes of the past and ensuring that people with disabilities have every opportunity to achieve meaningful employment at a fair wage and in the most integrated setting possible."