The legal counsel representing students and their families in a class-action lawsuit against the Fairfax County schools and the Virginia Department of Education (DOE) are gearing up to appeal a district court’s dismissal. The dismissal is based on a new precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court. Concurrently, these representatives are calling for an investigation into purported human rights infractions by the state attorney general’s office.
Parents Trevor and Vivian Chaplick, along with James and Sheila Bingham, added allegations in January on behalf of their disabled children, D.C. and M.B., respectively. They claim that the Fairfax County School Board and the Virginia DOE violated civil rights and neglected to provide resources as stipulated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for students with disabilities.
On motivation to fight this case, Susman Godfrey partner Bill Merrill reportedly explained the plight of parents he interacts with. They yearn to provide their children with a fair chance at education and find the obstacles they encounter – heart-wrenching. The sheer volume of such cases, though, means that individual litigation on behalf of all affected isn’t practical. Instead, more extensive measures need to be undertaken, and that is the reason for their current course of action.
These proceedings have immense implications for students with disabilities and their families; hence, its progress will be keenly observed by related stakeholders, including legal professionals and advocates for equal education rights.
For more details, read the original reporting at law.com.