Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/662/376/1392865/
Timestamp: 2019-09-23 07:49:49
Document Index: 66791267

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 794', '§ 88', '§ 48213', '§ 1391', '§ 504', '§ 84', '§ 504', '§ 88', '§ 794', '§ 88', '§ 48213', '§ 504', '§ 794', '§ 84', '§ 504', '§ 88', '§ 84']

Thomas v. Atascadero Unified School Dist., 662 F. Supp. 376 (C.D. Cal. 1987) :: Justia
Justia › US Law › Case Law › Federal Courts › District Courts › California › Central District of California › 1987 › Thomas v. Atascadero Unified School Dist.
Thomas v. Atascadero Unified School Dist., 662 F. Supp. 376 (C.D. Cal. 1987)
US District Court for the Central District of California - 662 F. Supp. 376 (C.D. Cal. 1987)
662 F. Supp. 376 (1986)
Robin THOMAS and Judy Thomas individually as the parents of Ryan Thomas, and Guardians, Plaintiffs, v. ATASCADERO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, and Anthony Avina, Kenneth Beck, Ray King, Carl Brown, Leslie Haynes, Emile LaSalle, Susan Molle and Jean Thiebaud, in their official capacities, Defendants.
Stipulation and Amended Findings February 19, 1987.
Judgment Granting Permanent Injunction February 20, 1987.
Publication Ordered June 19, 1987.
*377 Paul L. Hoffman, Susan D. McGreivy, Mark D. Rosenbaum, Jon D. Davidson, Kelly Kay, Mickey Wheatley, ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Los Angeles, Cal., for plaintiffs.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that pending trial of this action, each of the Defendants, his or her successor(s) in office, officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all other persons acting in concert or participating with them, are prohibited and enjoined from excluding Plaintiffs' son, Ryan Thomas, from attending the kindergarten class which he attended from September 3 to 8, 1986, in the Atascadero Unified School District, unless such exclusion is consistent with 29 U.S.C. § 794 and 45 C.F.R. § 88.4(b) and occurs in strict compliance with Cal. Education Code § 48213 and due process as required by the United States and California Constitutions. Based on the evidence presented to the Court, Defendants may not exclude or prevent Ryan Thomas from attending his kindergarten class on the ground that he poses a risk of transmission of the AIDS virus to his classmates or teachers.
*378 "24. In August of 1985, the Centers for Disease Control of the United States Government (CDC) published information and recommendations concerning the education of children infected with the AIDS virus. Among the CDC's recommendations are the following:
"`1. Decisions regarding the type of educational and care setting for HTLV-III/LAV-infected children should be based on the behavior, neurologic development, and physical condition of the child and the expected type of interaction with others in that setting. These decisions are best made using the team approach including the child's physician, public health personnel, the child's parent or guardian, and personnel associated with the proposed care or educational setting. In each case, risks and benefits to both the infected child and to others in the setting should be weighed. "`3. For the infected preschool-aged child and for some neurologically handicapped children who lack control of their body secretions or who display behavior, such as biting, and those children who have uncoverable, oozing lesions, a more restricted environment is advisable until more is known about transmission in these settings. Children infected with HTLV-III/LAV should be cared for and educated in settings that minimize exposure of other children to blood or body fluids.'
*379 AMENDED FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW REGARDING JUDGMENT GRANTING PERMANENT INJUNCTION FINDINGS OF FACT I. PARTIES
6. Venue is proper in this court under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b).
12. For over a year, since the diagnosis that he was infected with the AIDS virus, and since his treatment for this condition began Ryan's medical condition has improved. He has had no recent ear problems. He continues to receive regular treatments from his pediatrician and from *380 AIDS specialists in Los Angeles to bolster his immune system and prevent other symptoms of AIDS from developing. At this point it is unclear what course his medical condition will take. Both of Ryan's treating physicians, Dr. Fields and Dr. Church, have written to the School District indicating that there is no medical reason why Ryan cannot attend regular kindergarten classes.
14. There are no reported cases of the transmission of the AIDS virus in a school setting. The CDC has stated that "[n]one of the identified cases of HTLV-III/LAV infection in the United States are known to have been transmitted in the school, day-care, or foster-care setting or through casual person-to-person contact."
20. In late September, Dr. Marcus Shira, a psychologist employed by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Education, conducted a "psycho-educational study" of Ryan. Dr. Shira prepared a report dated September 30, 1986, in which he concluded that Ryan would behave "aggressively" in a kindergarten setting because his level of social and language skills and maturity was below those of his classmates. Dr. Shira could not predict what form such *381 "aggressive" behavior might take. Specifically, he did not predict that Ryan would "bite again."
"`1. Decisions regarding the type of educational and care setting for HTLV-III/LAV-infected children should be based on the behavior, neurologic development, and physical condition of the child and the expected type of interaction with others in that setting. These decisions are best made using the team approach including the child's physician, public health personnel, the child's parent or guardian, and personnel associated with the proposed care or educational setting. In each case, risks and benefits to both the infected child and to others in the setting should be weighed.'" "`3. For the infected preschool-aged child and for some neurologically handicapped children who lack control of their body secretions or who display behavior, such as biting, and those children who have uncoverable, oozing lesions, a more restricted environment is advisable until more is known about transmission in these settings. Children infected with HTLV-III/LAV should be cared for and educated in settings that minimize exposure of other children to blood or body fluids.'"
2. Ryan Thomas is a "handicapped person" within the meaning of § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. See 45 C.F.R. § 84.3(j) (2) (ii). District 27 School Board v. Board of Education, 130 Misc.2d 398, 502 N.Y.S.2d 325 (1986).
3. Ryan Thomas is "otherwise qualified" to attend a regular kindergarten class within the meaning of § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Defendants have failed to meet their burden of demonstrating that Ryan is not "otherwise qualified" to attend kindergarten. New York *382 State Association for Retarded Children v. Carey, 612 F.2d 644 (2d Cir.1979); Pushkin v. Regents of University of Colorado, 658 F.2d 1372, 1387 (10th Cir.1981). There is no evidence that Ryan Thomas poses a significant risk of harm to his kindergarten classmates or teachers.
5. Defendants have not complied with the requirements of 45 C.F.R. § 88.4(b). In particular, Defendants have not complied with the requirement that "[a] recipient shall place a handicapped person in the regular educational environment created by the recipient unless it is demonstrated by the recipient that the education of the person in the regular environment with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily."
6. Based on the foregoing, Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits. Ryan Thomas has suffered irreparable injury because of his exclusion from class. There are serious questions presented by Plaintiff's Motion and the balance of hardships tips in Plaintiff's favor. Plaintiffs are entitled to the issuance of a preliminary injunction under the standards applied in this Circuit. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Com'n v. Nat'l Football League, 634 F.2d 1197, 1200-01 (9th Cir.1980). See also Martin v. International Olympic Committee, 740 F.2d 670, 674-75 (9th Cir.1984); Lopez v. Heckler, 725 F.2d 1489, 1494 n. 2 (9th Cir.1984).
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that each of the Defendants, his or her successor(s) in office, officers, agents, servants, employees, attorneys, and all other persons acting in concert or participating with them, are prohibited and enjoined from excluding Plaintiffs' son, Ryan Thomas, from attending the kindergarten class which he attended from September 3 to 8, 1986, in the Atascadero Unified School District, unless such exclusion is consistent with 29 U.S.C. § 794 and 45 C.F.R. § 88.4(b) and occurs in strict compliance with Cal. Education Code § 48213 and due process as required by the United States and California Constitutions. Nothing in this Order shall prohibit the defendants from imposing suspension or expulsion as a means of discipline strictly in accordance with California Education Code Sections 48900 and following. Based on the evidence presented to the Court, Defendants may not exclude or prevent Ryan Thomas from attending his kindergarten class on the ground that he poses a risk of transmission of the AIDS virus to his classmates or teachers.
ORDER DIRECTING PUBLICATION OF (1) ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION; (2) STIPULATION REGARDING 1) AMENDMENT OF PARTIES, 2) SUPPLEMENT TO FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, 3) SUPPLEMENT TO ORDER GRANTING PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, AND 4) JUDGMENT GRANTING PERMANENT INJUNCTION;
On December 29, 1986, the Court issued its Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for *383 Preliminary Injunction in this action and the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law relevant thereto. The Court enjoined all defendants from excluding plaintiffs' son from attending his kindergarten class on the ground that he posed a risk of transmission of the AIDS virus to his classmates or teachers. The Court declined to rule on numerous constitutional and state-based claims, electing to address plaintiffs' contention that their son was handicapped within the broad definition furnished by federal statute.
Under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (1986), a handicapped person is one who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of his major life activities, as well as any person with a record of, or who is regarded as having, such an impairment. The terms "physical impairment" and "major life activities" are further defined by regulations. Under those regulations, a physical impairment includes "any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; ..." 45 C.F.R. § 84.3(j) (2) (i) (A) (1985).
Concerned with the need for the litigants and their community at large to return to as peaceful a status quo as possible, the Court did not envision a published account of the case. Because of the repeated expression of public interest in the facts of this case and this Court's interpretation of § 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as applied to those facts, the Court hereby authorizes publication of pertinent portions of the record.[*] The following pleadings shall be published in the order stated: (1) Order Granting Motion for Preliminary Injunction; (2) Stipulation Regarding 1) Amendment of Parties, 2) Supplement to Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, 3) Supplement to Order Granting Preliminary Injunction, and 4) Judgment Granting Permanent Injunction; (3) Amended Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law Regarding Judgment Granting Permanent Injunction; and (4) Judgment Granting Permanent Injunction.
[*] For accuracy's sake, the Court notes that all references to 45 C.F.R. § 88.4(b) should be replaced with 45 C.F.R. § 84.34(a).