org. jason is the executive director of the honest elections project. you can go to honestelectio ns.org. ♪ >> c-span's "washington journal ." every day, we take your calls and discuss policy issues that impact you. editorial director and publisher of "the nation" talks about the biden administration initiatives and the agenda. scott walker talks about his organization's efforts to promote free speech on college campuses. watch c-span's "washington journal" live at 7:00 eastern friday morning and be sure to join the discussion. ♪

>> middle and high school students participated in c-span's studentcam competition telling us what issues the president and congress addressed this year. all month, we are featuring the winners. our second prize middle school winners are dermott foley and tyler foley, sixth graders from eastern middle school in silver spring, maryland, where c-span is available through comcast. their winning entry is titled "the crisis within a crisis, children with special needs in the pandemic." >> a young child that has a neurological disorder and that child is sitting in front of the screen being spoken to but is unable to reply back or communicate day after day. these words were spoken by a mom of a special needs student. her story is not the only one. >> due to virtual learning, my

kindergartner has regressed seriously over the past 10 months. he has adhd. he will not sit still in front of a computer. >> he is refusing to work, he's refusing to do any of the materials. virtual therapies are not working and we are seeing regression. >> it is very hard for someone like her who does not understand. she wants her routine back. >> he is missing face-to-face interaction with those who understand his needs. >> more than three months of distance learning for her 11-year-old, jesse, has been a disaster. >> we talk about stress, the need for early intervention. yet, children cannot learn to their fullest potential without. >> [crosstalk] >> across the world, many children with special needs are

in distress. by the time the coronavirus pandemic ends, millions will have been out of school for some period of time. many will have experienced drastically reduced hours of learning. on facebook and other social media, at virtual town halls with the local and state officials, many parents shared stories of students losing skills, turning away from learning, and experiencing mental health breakdowns. >> parents are very frustrated because they see their kids regressing not only academically but regressing emotionally, and it manifests itself as behavior. the kids show a lot of frustration, show a lot of anger or sadness. >> many of the families they work with are the --. they have a five-year-old with a moderate form of autism. he started kindergarten in the fall. >> in this current pandemic, you know, you really see the

difficulties that there are f or children on the spectrum. >> i got so frustrated he would start kicking and biting. he did not understand how to connect to this person. >> in total, about 50% of 7.1 million students in public schools receive special education services. and the americans disability act or ada> today, we take it for granted that children of all abilities can be in the same classroom. it was not always that way. before 1975, many children with disabilities were marginalized, misunderstood, and sent away. this was not only bad for our future but bad for society. the idea behind the ada and idea is about potential, that every person has a right to have the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential. >> the ada is one of the most compassionate and successful civil rights laws in america history.

>> many of our most celebrated scholars, actors, politicians, and athletes are people who think, learn, communicate, or get around differently. the coronavirus turned everything upside down. many therapies, including ones that require physical touch, do not translate well virtually. they may find it difficult to learn from someone they have never met. >> distance learning is not really fulfilling the promises of idea and kids are really struggling and not reaching their full potential. >> president biden has pledged strong federal coordination for the safe reopening of schools. as part of longer-term plans, biden as called for historic increase in funding for idea. pres. biden: we make sure the students with disabilities have the ability to succeed by fully funding the act. >> biden has promised this new

funding within 10 years of taking office but many argued that it is too late and special needs students need help now. a senator as been calling for dedicated funding as part of coronavirus relief efforts. >> under the idea, students who have disabilities have the right to access the same educational opportunities as their peers. >> amid the chaos in washington, funding never materialized. now with vaccinations underway and new leadership in the white house, disability rights groups need a plan for moving forward. while distance learning has been a catastrophe for many special students, there are also those who have managed to do better. gabby is a high school student in montgomery county, maryland and today is her 307th day since she has been in in person school. >> i think we are in a holding pattern but i have to say the softer skills of adapting to

changes has been useful and advanced computer skills really. i know not everyone in montgomery county has that experience. >> some of her classmates have not returned since the beginning of the semester. while she has managed to keep up with her friends through social media and online chats, she says it is not the same as real or in person school. >> i miss my friends, the community. >> she cannot wait to get back. ♪ >> all winning entries are available online at studentcam.org. ♪ >> here's a look at alive coverage for friday. at 11:00 a.m. eastern on c-span, the white house covid-19 response team provides an update on the pandemic. that is followed by the daily white house briefing with press secretary jen psaki at 12:30.

then at 2:30 p.m., a discussion on the future of congressional redistricting from the federalist society. on c-span2, witness testimony continues in the trial of former minneapolis police officer derek chauvin, who is charged in the death of george floyd. veterans affairs secretary dennis mcdonough testified on his agency's covid-19 response as well as what they have focused on during the first months of the biden administration. this house veterans affairs committee hearing is two hours and 35 minutes. is two hours and 35 minutes. >> glad to welcome secretary mcdonough to his first hearing with the house committee on veterans affairs. when president biden announced your nomination i knew the v8 would be in good hands with a true problem solver at the helm and i am eager to get to work with you