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A p p e l l a n t s v . HAMI L T ON T OWNS HI P P UB L I C S CH OOL S ; F RE D D O N A T U C C I, S u p e ri n te n d e n t; M IC H A E L M U L D O O N , P ri n c ip a l; P E D R O B E R T O N E S , V ic e P ri n c ip a l; D O N N A H E S S , S e c tio n 5 0 4 C o o rd in a to r; D A N IE L W E B E R , L a n g u a g e A rts; J O A N C A R R , M a th e m a tic s ; K E L L I C O S T E L L O , G e o g ra p h y , HAM I LT ON TOW NSHI P P UBLI C S CHOOL DI S TRI CT

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____________________________________ Subm i tt ed Pur s uantt o T hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

N ovember21, 2008 B efor e: M C K E E , H A R D I M A N and R O T H , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on fi l ed: J anuary15, 2009)

___________ OP I NI ON

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P E R C UR I AM T h o m as a n d M iche ll e W o o d ruf f a p p ea l from an o rde r of the D istri ct C o u rt di s m i s s i ng thei rA m ended Com pl ai nt . Fi ndi ng no err or , w e w i l l aff i r m . B eca us e the part i es ar e fa m i l i arw i th t he r el evantfac t s and the pr ocedur al backgr ound, w e w i l l not d is c u s s th e m in d e ta il. T he W oodruffs , par ent s of a mi norchi l d, B . W . , fi l ed a c i vi l act i on pr o s e i n U ni t ed S ta te s D is tr ic t C o u rt f

o r t h e D is tr ic t o f

N e w J e rs e y , a lle g in g n u m e ro u s c a u s e s o f a c tio n . B . W . s uffe r s fr om A t t ent i on D efi ci tH yper act i vi tyD i s or der . T he ci r cumst ance s gi vi ng r i s e t o thi s act i on m aybe s um m ar i zed a s fol l ow s . B . W . w as enr ol l ed i n the s eventh gr ade atW i l l i am D avi es M i ddl e School i n M ay s L andi ng, N ew J er s eydur i ng the 2005- 06 a c a d e m ic yea r. A f

ter re c e iv in g h is y e a rb o o k , B .W . cro ss e d o u t p ictu re s o f c e rta in s tudent s . A nothers tudents aw thi s and as ked hi m w hathe w as doi ng, and B . W . r epl i ed that h is y ea rbo o k w as “ the b o o k o f li fe . If y o u r picture is crosse d o u t y o u are a m ere m emory . I hope y ou have e xper i ence d the pai n and agonythatI have e xper i ence d. ” The s tudentr eport ed B . W . , and, forhi s act i ons , he w as s us pended f orthe fi nal fourday s of th e sc h o o l y e a r. T h e V ice -P rin c ip a l als o in iti a ted h a ra ss m e n t ch a rg e s a g a in st h im w ith c o u n ty ju v e n ile a u th o ri tie s . B yw ayof expl ai ni ng hi s behavi or , B . W . t ol d hi s par ent s that , j us tpr i ort o the y e a rb o o k in c id e n t, he h a d b e e n h u m ili a ted in h is la n g u a g e a rts c las s b ya n a ss ig n m e n t in w h ic h f e llo w s tu d e n ts w e re to ld b yth e te a c h e r t o w ri te p o e m s d e s c ri b in g th e irc la s s m a te s .T he I D E A w as r enamed the I ndi vi dual s w i th D i s abi l i t i es E ducat i on I m pr ovement 1 A ct , eff ect i ve J ul y1, 2005. 3 B . W . ’ s cl as s m at es des cr i bed hi m as “fool , ” “w ei r d, ” “goof y , ” and “ for get ful . ” The W oodruffs evi dent l ytr i ed t o expl ai n thi s t o s chool offi ci al s . U ns at i s fi ed w i th the s chool ’ s r es pons e, the W oodruffs eventual l yfi l ed a l aw s ui t . T he School D i s tr i ct re sp o n d e d b yse rv in g n o tice o f its in ten t to e x p e l B .W . T h is n o tice a rriv e d ju st p rio r to the 2006- 07 aca demi c y ear . B efor e anyhear i ng t o expel coul d t ake pl ace , the W oodruffs w i th d r e w B . W . a n d e n r o l l e d h i m i n th e e i g h th g r a d e a ta p r i v a t e s c h o o l . A p p a r e n t l y, B .W . h a d a su c c e ss f

u l, dis c ip lin e -f

re e y e a r th e re , b u t w h e n th e W o o d ru f f s a ttem p ted to e n ro ll h im in th e n in th g ra d e f o r th e 2 0 0 7 -0 8 a c a d e m ic yea r a t O a k c re st H ig h S c h o o l in the G r eat erE gg H arborPubl i c School D i s tr i ct , thats chool r efus ed t o enr ol l hi m . T he W o o d ruf fs later learn ed that H am il ton T o w n sh ip sc h o o l of ficials ha d d iscl o sed B . W . ’s fi l e t o G reat er Eg g H arbor s cho ol di stri ctoff i ci al s. A ft eramendi ng thei ror i gi nal C om pl ai nt , the W oodruffs al l eged i n the mai n that th e H a m i l t o n T o w n s h i p P u b l i c S c h o o l D i s tr i c ta n d i t s o f f i c i a l s f a i l e d t o p r o v i d e B . W. w ith a F re e a n d A p p ro p ria te P u b lic E d u c a tio n (“ F A P E ” ) a s re q u ire d u n d e r th e In d iv id u a ls w i th D i s abi l i t i es E ducat i on A ct( “I D E A ”) , 20 U . S. C . § 1401 ets eq. , s ect i on 504 of the 1 R ehabi l i t at i on A ctof 1973, 29 U . S. C . § 794, and the A m er i cans w i th D i s abi l i t i es A ct , 42 U .S .C . § 1 2 1 3 , an d th a t ce rta in a d m in istra to rs a n d tea c h e rs a t th e D a v ies M id d le S c h o o l di s cr i m i nat ed aga i ns thi m and cr eat ed a hos t i l e envi r onm enti n vi ol at i on of the N ew Jer seyL aw A gainstD i scr i m i nati on , N . J. S . A . § 1 0:5- 1 et s eq. (“N JL A D ”). T here w as aB e c a u se th e W o o d ru f f s a re n o t atto rn e y s, th e ym a yn o t re p re se n t B .W . o n a p p e a l, 2 O se i-A f riy ie, 9 3 7 F .2 d a t 8 8 2 -8 3 . T h e re f o re , the ya re p ro c e e d in g o n a p p e a l o n lya s to theircl ai m s. 4 fur theratt empt t o as s ertcomm on l aw count s fornegl i gence and i nfl i ct i on of emot i onal di s tr es s , an al l egat i on of a pr ocedur al due pr oces s vi ol at i on, and gene r al al l egat i ons of re talia tio n a n d h a ra ss m e n t. E a rlyin th e lit ig a tio n , the D istric t C o u rt a d d re ss e d w h e th e r th e W o o d ru f f s c o u ld r epr es entthei rs on’ s i nt er es t s , beca us e theyar e notatt orney s , and par ent s m aynot re p re se n t th e ir m in o r c h ild re n in th e f e d e ra l co u rts in th is c irc u it, O se i-A f riy ie b yO se iA friy ie v. M ed ical C o ll eg e o f P en n sy lvan ia, 9 3 7 F . 2 d 8 7 6 , 8 8 2 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 1 ) (“W h ere [chi l dr en] have c l ai m s thatr equi r e adj udi cat i on, theyar e ent i t l ed t o tr ai ned l egal as s i s t ance s o t hei rr i ght s m aybe ful l ypr ot ect ed”) . A s a r es ul t , the W oodruffs obt ai ned an att orneyw ho fi l ed a s epar at e ci vi l act i on, D . C . C i v. N o. 07- cv- 04135, agai ns tthe G r eat er E g g H a rb o r P u b lic S c h o o l D istric t. T h a t ac tio n w a s s e ttl e d a n d B .W . w a s s u c c e ss f u lly enr ol l ed i n O akcr es t . T he D i s tr i ctC our tl ai d outforthe W oodruffs the var i ous opt i ons forcont i nui ng w i th t he i ns t antci vi l act i on, i ncl udi ng obt ai ni ng an att orneyorcont i nui ng w i th thei rcl ai m s onl y . T he W oodruffs el ect ed t o fi l e an a m ended c om pl ai ntw hi ch purpor t ed t o r ai s e thei rcl ai m s onl y . T he def endant s m oved t o di s m i s s the A m ended C o m p la in t a n d th e D is tr ic t C o u rt g ra n te d th e m o tio n in a n o rd e r e n te re d o n A p ri l 9 , 2 0 0 8 . T hi s appea l fol l ow ed. W e w i l l aff

i r m . W e have j ur i s di ct i on pur s uantt o 28 U . S. C . § 1291. T he 25

W oodruffs cont end on appe al thatthe D i s tr i ctC our terr ed ( 1) i n i t s det erm i nat i on that th e yc a n n o t p ro se c u te a c iv il ac tio n o n b e h a lf o f B .W . ex c e p t in th e c irc u m sta n c e se t f o rth in W in k e lm a n v . P a rm a C ityS c h . D ist., --- U .S . ----, 1 2 7 S . C t. 19 9 4 (2 0 0 7 ); (2 ) in di s m i s s i ng thei rI D E A , A D A and Sect i on 504 cl ai m s forfai l ur e t o exhaus tadmi ni s tr at i ve re m e d ies ; (3 ) in d ism iss in g th e ir n e g lig e n c e a n d e m o tio n a l d istre ss c laim s; a n d (4 ) in over l ooki ng thei rhar as s m entand r et al i at i on cl ai m s . A ft ercar eful r evi ew , w e have d e ter m in e d th a t th e se c o n ten tio n s la c k m e rit. T he D i s tr i ctC our tpr oper l yconcl uded that , underW i nkel m an, 127 S. C t . 1994, t he W oodruffs m aypr os ecut e thei rl egal l ycogni zabl e i nt er es t s i n B . W . ’ s FA PE w i thoutan a tto rn e y , b u t W in k e lm a n is lim ited to th e ID E A c o n tex t an d d o e s n o t p e rm it th e m to lit ig a te th e N JL A D , p ro c e d u ra l d u e p ro c e ss , o r c o m m o n law c o u n ts a lleg e d in th e ir A m end ed C om plai nt. In W i nk el m an, the U nit ed S t at es Su prem e C ou rtheld that, becau se par ent s have s ubs t ant i ve r i ght s underthe I D E A w hi ch ar e notl i m i t ed t o pr ocedur al and r ei m bur s ement - r el at ed mat t er s and w hi ch theym ayenfor ce bypr os ecut i ng act i ons on thei row n behal f, the ci r cui tcourti n thatcas e err ed w hen i tdi s m i s s ed the par ent s ’ appea l f o r la c k o f

c o u n se l. T h e C o u rt re se rv e d th e q u e stio n w h e th e r th e ID E A e n tit les p a re n ts to lit ig a te th e ir c h ild ’s c laim s p ro se , id. a t 2 0 0 7 , an d th u s W in k e lm a n d o e s n o t tran sla te in to a br oad r i ghtt o pur s ue anys t atut oryorcomm on l aw cl ai m s on a chi l d’ s behal f. W i th t he e x c e p tio n o f

a n ID E A a c tio n o n th e iro w n b e h a lf , th e W o o d ru f

f s m a yn o t r e p re s e n t B .W . in the fe d era l cou rt s in this circu it , O sei-A friy ie, 9 3 7 F . 2 d at 88 2 . T h e W o o d ruf fs w ereW e conc l ude thatthe har as s m entand r et al i at i on al l egat i ons ar e pr oper l yvi ew ed as 3 partof the N J L A D count . T o t he ext entthatthe W oodruffs s oughtt o br i ng a cl ai m for n e g lig e n t in f

lictio n o f e m o tio n a l d istre ss b a se d o n a th e o ryo f b y sta n d e r liab ili ty , the ir c laim is le g a llyin su f

f icie n t an d p ro p e rlyd ism iss e d p u rsu a n t to F e d e ra l R u le o f C iv il P roc ed u re 1 2 (b)(6 ), b ec au se N ew Jerse yreq u ir es th at th e m ino r ch il d su ff er d ea th o r a s er i ous phy s i cal i nj urybefor e a pa r entcan mai nt ai n s uch an a ct i on. See M ans ourv. L ev it o n M fg . C o . , Inc . , 8 9 0 A . 2 d 3 3 6 , 3 4 0 (N . J. S u p er. C t. , A p p . D iv. 20 0 6 ). 6 g iv e n th e o p p o rtu n ityb yth e D istric t C o u rt to id e n tifyw h ich c laim s th e yb ro u g h t in th e ir o wn r i g h t . Th e yc h o s e t o f i l e a n a me n d e d c o mp l a i n tp u rp o rt i n g t o a s s e r tth e i rc l a i ms o n ly , b u t th e D istric t C o u rt c o n c lu d e d th a t th e in ju rie s a lleg e d sim p lyw e re n o t p e rso n a l to them, and w e agr ee. T he D i s tr i ctC our tover l ooked no count s i n det erm i ni ng thatthe A m ended Com pl ai ntw oul d have t o be di s m i s s ed w i thoutpr ej udi ce t o the ext entthat O s ei - A fr i y i e pr event s the W oodruffs fr om l i t i gat i ng others t atut oryorcomm on l aw cl ai m s on B . W . ’ s behal f. 3 A l though W i nkel m an, 127 S. C t . at2004, perm i t s the W oodruffs t o r epr es ent themsel ves i n an I D E A act i on on thei row n behal f, the D i s tr i ctC our tpr oper l ydi s m i s s ed th e irID E A , A D A a n d S e c tio n 5 0 4 c la im s f o r f a ilu re to e x h a u s t a d m in is tr a tiv e re m e d ie s . A s th o ro u g h lye x p lain e d b yth e D istric t C o u rt, th e ID E A o rd in a rilyre q u ire s th a t a p a rty exhaus tadmi ni s tr at i ve r emedi es , s ee 20 U . S. C . § 1415( f) ( pr ovi di ng foran i m part i al due p ro c e ss h e a rin g ); se e id . at § 1 4 1 5 (g ) (p ro v id in g f o r a p p e a l o f

a n ysu c h d e c isio n to S tate educa t i onal agenc y ) , pr i ort o br i ngi ng s ui ti n fede r al court , i d. at§ 1415( i ) ( 2) ( A ) . T he W o o d ru f f s d o n o t co n ten d th a t th e yp u rsu e d th e ir a d m in istra tiv e re m e d ies p rio r to br i ngi ng thi s ci vi l act i on. I ns t ead, theycont end thattheycannotobt ai n the money7

damages theys eek f

orthei rI D E A , A D A and Sect i on 504 cl ai m s thr ough the a d m in is tr a tiv e p ro c e s s a n d th u s e x h a u s tio n w o u ld b e f u tile . W e ar e notper s uaded. W e have hel d that“pl ai nt i ffs m ay. . . be exc us ed fr om t he pur s ui tof admi ni s tr at i ve r emedi es w her e theyal l ege s y s t emi c l egal defi ci enci es and, corr es pondi ngl y , r eques ts y s t em-w i de r el i ef thatcannotbe pr ovi ded ( oreven a ddr es s ed) thr ough the admi ni s tr at i ve pr oces s , ” B eth V . byY vonne V . v. C arr ol l , 87 F. 3d 80, 89 ( 3d C i r. 19 96 ), bu tthis excep t i on i s l i m i t ed. In the u sual case, exh aust i on serves t he p urpose of deve l opi ng the r ecor d forr evi ew on appea l , cf. S. H . v. St at e- O per at ed Sch. D i s t . of C i tyof N ew ark, 336 F. 3d 260, 269- 70 ( 3d C i r . 2003) ( di s cus s i ng i m por t ance of A dm i ni s tr at i ve Law J udge fa ctfi ndi ng i n I D E A cas es ) , encour ages par ent s and the l ocal sch o o l distri ct t o w o rk to g ethe r t o fo rm u lat e a n ind ividu ali ze d p lan f o r a c h il d ’s e d u c a tio n , an d a llo w s th e e d u c a tio n a g e n c ies to a p p lyth e ir e x p e rtise a n d c o rre c t th e ir ow n m i s t akes , s ee M cK artv. U ni t ed St at es , 395 U . S. 185, 194- 95 ( 1969) . Fur therm or e, pr i vat e pl ace m entand r ei m bur s ementforpr i vat e s chool tui t i on ar e ava i l abl e t o r emedy vi ol at i ons of the I D E A . R i dgew ood B d. O f Educ. v. N . E . ex r el . M . E . , 172 F. 3d 238, 24 8- 24 9 & n. 7 ( 3d Ci r . 19 99 ) ( c i t i ng Fl or e nc e CountySc h. D i s t . Fou rv. Car t e r , 51 0 U. S. 7 ( 1993) ) . C om pens at oryeduca t i on al s o i s avai l abl e. I d. at249- 50 & n. 9. T he D i s tr i ct C o u rt c o n c lu d e d , an d w e a g re e , tha t an A d m in istra tiv e L a w Ju d g e w o u ld b e a b le to p ro v id e th e W o o d ru f

f s w ith a p p ro p ri a te re lie f if th e yp re v a il a t th e d u e p ro c e s s h e a ri n g . T he W oodruffs ’ r eques tform oneydamages pr es um abl yi ncl udes r ei m bur s ementfort heT he W oodruffs ’ addi t i onal cont ent i on thattheyar e exc us ed fr om exhaus t i ng 4 admi ni s tr at i ve r emedi es beca us e theydi d notr ece i ve ade quat e not i ce of thei rr i ght s l acks m e rit fo r th e re a so n s g iv e n b yth e D istric t C o u rt. I n s eeki ng l eave t o expand the r ecor d, s ee Fed. R . A pp. Pr o. 10( e) , the A ppel l ees 5 h av e c all ed o u r att en ti o n to o n e it em g erm an e to th e D istri ct C o u rt ’s dism issal fo r fa il u re t o exhaus tadmi ni s tr at i ve r emedi es : a St at e of N ew J er s eyD epart m entof Educat i on D ue P roc ess H ea ri n g A ck n o w ledg m en t dated Ju ly2 5 , 2 0 0 8 , ind icati n g that the W o o d ruf fs a re p u rs u in g th e ira d m in is tr a tiv e re m e d ie s . 8 y earof pr i vat e s chool tui t i on theyi ncurr ed. T heyar e thus notexcus ed fr om exhaus t i ng theiradm i nis trat i ve rem edies . 4 Fi nal l y , w e agr ee w i th t he D i s tr i ctC our tthatthe r et al i at i on count , t o the ext ent thati ti s nots ubs um ed w i thi n t he N J L A D count , i s barr ed underthe Fami l yE ducat i onal R i gh t s and P ri vacyA ct(“FE R P A ”), 20 U . S . C . § 1 23 2g , becau se there i s no p ri vate cause of a c t i on un de rFER PA ’ s c on fi de nt i a l i typr ov i s i on s , G on z a ga U ni ve r s i tyv. D oe , 53 6 U. S. 273, 287 ( 2002) , and 42 U . S. C . § 1983 i s nota vehi cl e fora FE R PA cl ai m , i d. at288. Forthe for egoi ng r eas ons , w e w i l l aff i r m the or derof the D i s tr i ctC our tdi s m i s s i ng the amended compl ai nt . T he A ppel l ees ’ m ot i on t o fi l e a s uppl ement al appendi x and expand the r ecor d i s gr ant ed. 5