The U.S. Supreme Court Unanimously Rules to Protect the Rights of Students with Disabilities

The U.S. Supreme Court, in AJT v. Osseo, overturned a longstanding, problematic Eighth Circuit Court precedent that required schoolchildren to prove “bad faith or gross misjudgment” by school officials when seeking relief for disability-related discrimination. This 9-0 decision, supported by an amici curiae (friends of the court) brief signed by Education Law Center, will provide relief for countless children who would not have been able to surpass the unreasonably stringent bad faith standard.

The plaintiff in this case — a student with a rare and severe form of epilepsy that causes frequent morning seizures — sued a Minnesota school district under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for refusing to accommodate her need for later hours of instruction. The district court denied compensatory damages for the student and her family, which the Eighth Circuit later affirmed, since they could not prove “bad faith or gross misjudgment” on the part of the school district.

The U.S. Supreme Court has now overruled the application of a different, higher standard to schoolchildren bringing claims under the ADA and Section 504, in effect approving the lower “deliberate indifference” standard that the Eighth Circuit and other courts use in other disability discrimination contexts.

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and the Georgetown Law Appellate Courts Immersion Clinic represented COPAA, ELC and other legal disability advocacy organizations on the amici brief in support of the student.

The brief explained that the “bad faith or gross misjudgment” standard is overly burdensome and inconsistent with the language and purpose of both the ADA and Section 504. The Supreme Court agreed with these arguments. ELC had also joined the COPAA amici brief that supported the student’s request for the Supreme Court to review the Eighth Circuit decision.

“This 9-0 decision is notable, especially following the Supreme Court’s 2023 unanimous decision in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, which similarly provided civil rights remedies for students with disabilities,” said Elizabeth Athos, ELC Senior Attorney. “We are very pleased that the Supreme Court firmly continues to protect the rights of students with disabilities.”

Related Stories:

ELC “FRIEND OF THE COURT” BRIEFS AT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IN KEY STUDENT CIVIL RIGHTS CASES

NATIONAL DISABILITY RIGHTS GROUPS APPLAUD SCOTUS DECISION IN PEREZ V. STURGIS

Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
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