Supreme Court Win for Girl with Epilepsy Expected to Make Disability ...
- The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled on June 12 in favor of Ava Tharpe, a teenager with epilepsy suing her Minnesota school for inadequate disability accommodations.
- The case arose after lower courts applied a higher legal standard requiring proof of bad faith or gross misjudgment, which the school district sought to extend to all disability discrimination claims.
- The Court held that disability discrimination claims in educational settings must meet the same deliberate indifference standard as other ADA cases, rejecting the school district's request to raise the bar.
- Chief Justice Roberts emphasized that the ruling upholds safeguards for disabled children by maintaining necessary accommodations that guarantee fair access, a position supported by lead attorney Roman Martinez.
- This decision narrows legal hurdles for families seeking damages over school accommodations and aligns educational disability claims with broader disability rights enforcement nationwide.
54 Articles
54 Articles
Family members claimed that the school district did not do enough to allow the girl to have the disability adaptations she needs to learn
Supreme Court win for Minnesota girl with epilepsy expected to make disability lawsuits against schools easier
A teenage girl with a rare form of epilepsy won a unanimous Supreme Court ruling on Thursday that’s expected to make it easier for families of children with disabilities to sue schools over access to education.
Supreme Court sides with disabled student vs. Osseo Area Schools
In a unanimous opinion delivered by Chief Justice John Roberts, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the family of Ava Tharpe, a teen with a rare form of epilepsy whose suburban Minneapolis district denied her request for a modified school day. The decision, A.J.T. vs. Osseo Area Schools, means K-12 students do not have to meet a higher standard of proof than others suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If the justices had ag…


US Supreme Court bolsters school disability protections
By John Kruzel
Supreme Court Unanimously Sides With Disabled Student in Lawsuit vs. District
In a unanimous opinion delivered by Chief Justice John Roberts, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the family of Ava Tharpe, a teen with a rare form of epilepsy whose suburban Minneapolis district denied her request for a modified school day. The decision, A.J.T. vs. Osseo Area Schools, means K-12 students do not have to meet a higher standard of proof than others suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If the justices had ag…
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