Opinion ID: 2403739
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Education Discrimination

Text: [¶ 20] The parents claimed that the school officials violated J.R.'s right to participate in an educational program free from discrimination. The MHRA declares that it is a civil right for an individual at an educational institution to participate in all educational [programs] without discrimination because of, inter alia, a physical or mental disability. 5 M.R.S.A. § 4601. Section 4602(2)(A) of the MHRA provides that the exclusion of an otherwise qualified individual from participation in any educational program or activity solely on the basis of physical or mental disability is unlawful education discrimination. 5 M.R.S.A. § 4602(2)(A) (2002). Section 4602(2) also states: Nothing in this subsection may be construed to cover the rights of exceptional students to special education programs under state or federal law. 5 M.R.S.A. § 4602(2) (2002). [¶ 21] Although the Superior Court could have concluded that the parents had not stated a claim under the education discrimination portion of the MHRA because of the exclusionary language in section 4602(2), it instead looked past the wording of the complaint and interpreted the gravamen of the parents' MHRA education discrimination claim to be one that fell within the parameters of the special education laws. The court concluded that the parents were required to exhaust administrative remedies before pursuing a claim under the special education laws and because they had not exhausted remedies, they could not pursue the claim in court. [¶ 22] The parents argue before us that because they did not allege a claim under the special education statutes, the court should have reached their MHRA education discrimination claim and not required exhaustion. The MHRA education discrimination claim cannot succeed, however, because of the provision in section 4602(2) excluding the rights of exceptional students to special education programs. This language is applicable to J.R. because he is an exceptional student as defined in the special education laws, see 20-A M.R.S.A. § 7001(2)(C)(8) (Supp.2004), and his use of the playground was permitted as part of his home-school program, see 20-A M.R.S.A. § 5021(6) (Supp.2004). The court found that the dispute between the parents and the school officials was triggered by the temporary suspension of J.R. from the playground and the school officials' request for an FBA and a behavior management plan. Because the basis of the parents' claim is that their son, an exceptional student, is entitled to playground privileges as part of a special education program, the exclusion in section 4602(2) is applicable, and its applicability defeats their claim of education discrimination under the MHRA.