San Juan, Puerto Rico – A coalition of advocates and organization from the diaspora and Puerto Rico are celebrating a major success for in the defense of one of the most vulnerable groups in our society. Through the immense pressure from advocates and organizations, Governor Wanda Vázquez-Garced yesterday vetoed the 1945 project that sought to create the Law for the Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities in Puerto Rico.
Through a video published on their social networks, Vázquez Garced announced the veto of the project along with Carmen Warren, president of the Timon Committee of Mothers and Fathers of Special Education.
The president assured that a working group will be created to make improvements to Law 51.
“We are going to work with the Legislative Assembly, if any amendment is necessary, but in this particular project the decision has already been made and it will be vetoed.
The legislative project – authored by the delegation of the New Progressive Party (PNP) – was refuted by the parents and spokesmen of the population of children and young people of special education, who reached the stands of the cameral chamber. Two press conferences were held, one in New York and a second in Puerto Rico joining organizational forces which include Comite Timon Chapter of New York, United Federation of Teachers, among others. Despite a bi-cameral legislative system, many question how was it possible that this project was past by both the Puerto Rico House of Representatives and Senate in the first place having several elements that infringed in human rights and Federal regulations.
“This is an accomplishment by all and everyone, Puerto Rico, New York, and everyone… we are grateful for Governor Wanda Vazquez for understanding and being human, more importantly understanding the need to protect our children with special needs…”, said Milagros Cancel, President of Comite Timon in New York.
A similar measure had been vetoed by Ricardo Rosselló.
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