NEW ORLEANS – A disabled student attending a charter school in New Orleans alleges she was not provided reasonable modifications.
A.S., by and through her next friend Dorothy S., filed a complaint on April 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Voices for International Business and Education Inc., John White, superintendent of education of the Louisiana Department of Education; Louisiana Department of Education; and Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education alleging that they failed to comply with Titles II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.
According to the complaint, A.S. is a student at International High School of New Orleans and has trouble walking because of her disability. The suit states the school building has three floors and no elevator. The plaintiff alleges that during her days in school, she was confined to the counselor's suite and received very limited teaching instructions because she is not able to use the stairs.
The plaintiff holds Voices for International Business and Education Inc., White, Louisiana Department of Education and Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices or procedures and failed to provide an equal opportunity to gain the same benefits and the same level of achievements.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks declaratory judgment, specifying defendants’ statutory violations and declaring plaintiff's rights to the defendants’ programs, services and activities, award for damages, attorney fees, costs and expenses and all other and further relief. She is represented by Kenneth Kolb, Debra Weinberg and Ronald K. Lospennato of The Advocacy Center of Louisiana in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:17-cv-04200