On June 12, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling that has significant implications for students with disabilities, specifically regarding their ability to sue schools for damages related to discrimination claims. The decision comes after a Minnesota teenager, Ava Tharpe, argued that her school failed to accommodate her rare epilepsy condition, which hinders her attendance in the morning. The Court found that some courts were applying excessively stringent standards to block such lawsuits, which could undermine the foundation of disability civil rights.
The justices rejected the school’s contention that the existing standards for other types of disability discrimination claims were too lax, but they did not establish a definitive standard for all cases. They emphasized that there should not be differing standards for educational discrimination claims related to disabilities. Notably, two conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh, concurred in the decision, indicating that they believe lower courts should reevaluate the standards being used.
In contrast, justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson challenged the school’s argument that intent to discriminate should be a prerequisite for proving a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Sotomayor asserted that the statutory text does not support such a requirement.
The case hints at a deeper debate within the Court about how federal standards are applied in disability rights cases. While the Supreme Court’s decision was welcomed by disability advocates, it did not resolve ongoing questions about what constitutes an appropriate legal standard moving forward, indicating a potential for future challenges in this area.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
