Mississippi lawmaker pushes for dyslexia awareness

WASHINGTON – Rep. Steven Palazzo and his wife, Lisa, recognized about three years ago that their youngest son, Bennett, was struggling with reading so they hired tutors, but nothing seemed to work.

They had the fourth-grader tested recently and learned he had dyslexia, a learning disability that involves difficulty learning to read.

“When he realized he wasn’t slow or dumb, his attitude changed. He knows he’s smart and knows there’s a way out,” said Palazzo, a Republican representing Mississippi’s 4th District. “I just wish we could have caught this when he was in first or second grade.’’

Palazzo and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana are on a mission to raise awareness about dyslexia. Cassidy’s daughter, Kate, also is dyslexic.

They’re not the first members of Congress to focus their lawmaking power on causes that affect them personally.

Republican Rep. Gregg Harper of Mississippi’s 3rd District is pushing to expand research on Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that affects his son, Livingston. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, introduced a bill in 2012 to raise awareness of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or abnormal development of the diaphragm before birth. His grandson, Jim Beau, was born with the condition.

Cassidy said lawmakers’ personal experiences should help shape their positions.

“You know the old saying, ‘Walk a mile in my shoes,’ or as Jesus would say, ‘Do unto others as you have them do unto you,’ ” he said. “You have to ... relate to what others’ needs are, and if I was in their situation, what would I wish for them to do for me.”

Cassidy, who hosted a luncheon on dyslexia in Baton Rouge last month. said he and other lawmakers are working on a bipartisan, bicameral effort to raise awareness of the learning disability, and hope to focus more federal spending on dyslexia programs.

“If not now, when?” he asked.

Cassidy’s wife, Laura, founded a charter school in Baton Rouge for children with dyslexia.

Last month, Cassidy tried unsuccessfully to attach an amendment to an education bill that would have allowed schools to use federal funding to better train educators about dyslexia and evaluate students early.

In February, Palazzo introduced a bipartisan resolution modeled after one Cassidy proposed last year, when he was still a House member. It calls for “schools and state and local educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed.”

The House hasn’t acted on it yet.

“When Congress puts out a resolution, people pay attention to it, especially the bureaucracies that depend on Congress for their funding,’’ said Palazzo, who recently joined the House Dyslexia Caucus. “I do think it sends a message that this is serious.”

William Baker, president and founder of the Dyslexia Foundation, called the resolution “a step in the right direction. But there’s no money involved, so it’s easier to get those through.”

Cena Holifield, founder of The 3D School in Petal, which helps dyslexic students, welcomed the efforts of Palazzo and Cassidy.

“They understand the impact this has on our nation,” she said. “These are our brightest children who are struggling with reading, and we know through evidence (and) research how to teach them to read, yet we’re not doing that in our schools.”

Contact Deborah Barfield Berry at dberry@gannett.com. Follow @dberrygannett on Twitter.