Over a dozen incapacity advocacy teams are blasting President Donald Trump for baselessly implicating federal staff with disabilities within the lethal American Airways aircraft crash close to Washington, D.C.
Lower than a day after the passenger flight collided with a U.S. Military Black Hawk helicopter close to Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport leaving no survivors, Trump informed reporters mentioned that variety efforts on the Federal Aviation Administration had been responsible. Throughout a briefing on the crash, Trump cited a Fox Information article from final 12 months.
“It says FAA says folks with extreme disabilities are most underrepresented section of the workforce they usually need them in and they are often air visitors controllers. I don’t assume so,” Trump mentioned.
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The data referenced within the article that the president cited has been in place on the FAA’s web site since at the very least 2013, together with the whole lot of Trump’s first time period, based on Snopes, the fact-checking web site.
In a press release, incapacity advocates known as Trump’s remarks and any suggestion that federal staff with disabilities could have been answerable for the crash “irresponsible, disparaging and improper” and accused the president of utilizing a tragedy to push his political agenda.
“Disabled workers, like non-disabled workers, are employed as a result of they meet the {qualifications} wanted to do the job,” reads the assertion signed by the American Affiliation of Individuals with Disabilities, the American Council of the Blind, the Autistic Self Advocacy Community, the Bazelon Heart for Psychological Well being Regulation, the Incapacity Rights Schooling & Protection Fund, the Nationwide Incapacity Rights Community and others. “Variety hiring initiatives search to broaden the pool of potential certified expertise for a task — they don’t supersede the {qualifications} and abilities that the function requires.”
Advocates famous that many information reviews recommended that there have been staffing points on the air visitors management tower on the time of the crash. Nonetheless, they mentioned the White Home has doubled down on folks with disabilities, releasing a memo about aviation security highlighting variety, fairness and inclusion initiatives together with these centered on recruitment of individuals with extreme mental disabilities. Trump signed an government order shortly after taking workplace to put off so-called DEI efforts in authorities.
“There isn’t any proof that FAA hiring practices had something to do with this accident, and suggesting in any other case is deceptive and dangerous,” mentioned Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the USA. “Individuals with disabilities — like all federal workers — are employed due to their {qualifications}, abilities and skill to do a job. In moments like this, we must be centered on details and supporting these affected, not pointing fingers at a whole group.”
Katharine MacFarlane, affiliate professor of legislation and the director of Incapacity Regulation and Coverage Program at Syracuse College’s Faculty of Regulation, mentioned Trump’s feedback might having lasting results for a inhabitants that already struggles to get forward.
“Working-age folks with disabilities stay disproportionately underemployed, and false stereotypes about folks with disabilities hold Individuals who’re prepared and prepared to work out the workforce,” mentioned MacFarlane. “Suggesting that individuals with disabilities are responsible for the tragic aircraft crash close to Reagan Nationwide Airport, on account of DEIA-focused hiring efforts on the FAA, perpetuate dangerous, false stereotypes, and frustrate disabled peoples’ efforts to acquire gainful employment and contribute to the economic system.”