For Immediate Release
Contact: David Card, [email protected]
Today, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court in A.J.T. v. Osseo Public Schools (MN), rejected a more stringent standard for students asserting certain rights under federal disability rights laws.
The Court agreed with the student in the case who argued it was unfair that she and other public school students with disabilities be required to meet a higher level of proof when pursuing certain claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In its ruling, the Court emphasized that nothing in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which protects students with disabilities, “ ‘shall be construed to restrict or limit the rights, procedures, and remedies available under’ the ADA, Rehabilitation Act, or other federal laws protecting disabled children’s rights.”
NDRN joined with other disability advocacy groups to support student A.J.T. in an amicus brief arguing that the lower, deliberate indifference standard should apply.
“We applaud this monumental decision that affirms the ADA and Section 504 rights of students and sets a clear and widely recognized standard for pursuing these claims,” said Marlene Sallo, executive director of NDRN. “The Court rightly decided that families should not have to clear a nearly impossible legal hurdle to hold schools accountable for failing to meet their obligations under federal disability law.”
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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
