A teenage girl with a rare form of epilepsy won a unanimous Supreme Court decision on Thursday. The ruling is expected to make it easier for families of children with disabilities to sue schools over access to education.
The girl’s family argued that her Minnesota school district did not provide the necessary accommodations she needs to learn. For example, the school failed to offer enough instruction during evening hours when her seizures are less frequent.
Lower courts acknowledged the school had fallen short but ruled against the family’s claim for damages. These courts required plaintiffs to prove that schools acted with “bad faith or gross misjudgment,” which is a higher legal standard than most disability discrimination claims.
Osseo Area Schools, the district involved, warned that lowering this legal standard could lead to more lawsuits against public schools. They said many schools are understaffed and work in good faith, and easing requirements might unfairly punish them.
The family appealed to the Supreme Court, which decided that lawsuits against schools should follow the same legal standards as other disability discrimination cases.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court, “Children with disabilities and their parents face daunting challenges every day. We hold that these challenges should not include meeting a tougher standard of proof than other plaintiffs.”
The court rejected the district’s late appeal to apply the higher legal standard to all disability accommodation claims. The girl’s lawyers said this would have been a major setback for disability rights.
Justice Clarence Thomas, joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, wrote separately that he might consider the district’s arguments in the future, though he did not say whether they would be accepted.
On the other hand, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, warned that applying a stricter standard broadly would “eviscerate the core” of disability discrimination laws.
Roman Martinez, the girl’s lawyer from Latham & Watkins, called the ruling a victory for the family and for children with disabilities facing discrimination nationwide. He said the decision “will help protect reasonable accommodations needed to ensure equal opportunity for all.”
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