Opinion ID: 2581004
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Hearing on the GAL's motion to afford the DOE independent legal representation

Text: On September 5, 2001, a hearing on the GAL's motion was conducted before the Honorable John C. Bryant. The family court noted that both John and his foster parents favored placement in the eighth grade. Although the GAL further asserted that the DHS social worker also believed that John should be placed in the eighth grade, [18] the deputy attorney general (DAG)  who was representing the DHS and the DOE simultaneously at the time  advised the family court that the DHS, as an agency, would support whatever the IEP team concluded, such that the DHS social worker's personal opinion did not represent the agency's position. The DAG also noted that, as of the date of the hearing, John's IEP had not been finalized, such that his grade placement was not yet certain. In response to the family court's question regarding whether it had the authority to order [the] DOE to place [John] in eighth grade, the GAL opined as follows: As to the determination of the Court's authority, I would suggest that in this case ... the court has a special relationship to [John], by virtue of him being a ward of this state. .... In addition, Your Honor, I would suggest that in this case there is no administrative avenue open to [John] because his surrogate parent has [only] met him twice.... .... ... There's a definition for parent in [Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.)] Section 300.20 ... [, see supra note 13]. It defines who can exercise a child's right to ... [request a hearing]. One is the natural or adoptive parent, we don't have that. Two is the guardian, which is what [the DHS social worker]`is, but not the State, so she's out. Three is a person acting in place of the parent, such as grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives or a person who's legally responsible for the child's welfare. Four is a surrogate parent. The definition of foster [parent] says, [u]nless state law prohibits a foster parent from acting as a parent, the State may allow a foster parent to act as a parent under part B of the act if the natural parents' authority to make educational decisions on the child's behalf has been extinguished by state law, which it has. The foster parent has an ongoing, long-term parental relationship with the child. [John] has been with [his new foster parents] for six to eight weeks, so I don't know if [the foster parents] would be eligible under that [;] [the foster parents are] willing to make educational decisions, and [they] ha[ve] no interest of the child. The only person ... who can make the administrative appeal is a surrogate parent, and she won't. Therefore, I think we're in a position where if we pursued [an] administrative remedy, we wouldn't get anywhere. If I filed or [John's foster parents filed], we will eventually get a decision that says dismissed, no standing. Therefore, I think it falls upon the family court to make the determination that's in [John]'s best interest. The DHS social worker noted that the IEP was just pending, but stated that she need[ed] to make a decision[,] ... [a]nd at that point, ... [John would have been placed] in the ninth grade because he [had been] promoted [from the eighth grade]. The social worker reiterated that she could make [her decision] at any time, but [her] decision would be to promote him; the DAG also confirmed that [t]he IEP actual formal document ha[d]n't been prepared, but the IEP [would place John in the ninth grade.] The family court therefore decided that it [did]n't need to wait for the IEP[,] and took the matter under advisement. Prior to adjournment, however, the family court stated that, if [the family court] feel[s that it] ha[s] the authority, [it is] going to order [the DOE] to put [John] in [the] eighth grade because the family court believed that it's in his best interest.