5: Cultural Responsivity, Abolition, and Special Education: Addressing the Intersections of Race, Community, and Disability

This chapter offers a powerful testimonial from Kristin Vogel‑Campbell, a special education leader committed to culturally responsive and abolitionist practices in supporting students with disabilities and their families. Grounded in the frameworks of culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, as well as abolitionist teaching, the chapter explores how systemic inequities—particularly within the Individualized Education Plan process—disproportionately harm marginalized families. Through the story of Afah, a young Tongan student, Vogel‑Campbell illustrates how school systems often pathologize difference, exclude family voices, and perpetuate racialized disciplinary practices. She reflects on her own role in mediating conflict and building trust, emphasizing the importance of proactive, empathetic engagement and collective responsibility. The chapter calls for transformation of educational systems to center family perspectives, honor cultural wealth, and minimize exclusionary practices. It concludes with a vision for culturally responsive leadership as abolitionist work that is rooted in humanity, humility, and healing.