Families across the country are sharing personal accounts of how systemic barriers have delayed or denied educational opportunities for loved ones, with some individuals excluded from traditional schooling until well into adolescence. The experiences highlight long-standing inequities in access to education, where legal or logistical hurdles—such as residency requirements or bureaucratic delays—have left children and adults without the chance to learn alongside their peers. Advocates say these stories underscore broader failures in ensuring every student has the right to an education, regardless of circumstances. The revelations come as discussions intensify over policies meant to address gaps in school enrollment and support for marginalized learners.
Susan Popkin has a brother-in-law who was kept out of traditional education until high school. David Bateman has a brother-in-law who couldn’t enroll for the first 17 years of his life. These stories ...
