Opinion ID: 496787
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Department of Children and Youth Services Complaint

Text: 15 On October 14, 1982 Legal Services filed a separate complaint with the State Board pursuant to Connecticut's complaint resolution procedure against the Department of Children and Youth Services and that Department's Unified School District # 2. It brought the complaint as guardian ad litem for Dale V. and on behalf of all other handicapped children placed at Long Lane School, a residential correctional institution operated by the Department of Youth Services for adjudicated delinquents. The complaint raises several objections to the Department's operation of its Cady and Long Lane Schools. For example, it alleges that the Department of Youth Services violated the Act's requirements by failing to implement individualized education programs within 45 days of referral, by neglecting to evaluate and properly educate emotionally maladjusted children in its schools, and by changing a child's educational placement without notice and an opportunity for parents to exercise their due process rights under the EHA. 16 Plaintiffs claim that the State Board's answer to their complaint did not directly address the issues raised in it. That answer, they maintain, did not consider the alleged system-wide violations, but was limited to Dale V. and his school records. Plaintiffs further contend that the State Board disregarded CRP requirements by not establishing communication with complainants during its investigation and by exceeding the 60-day time limit for such response. See 34 C.F.R. Sec. 76.781(a). Thus, Legal Services resubmitted the complaint along with a memorandum specifying the alleged inadequacies of defendants' answer. Plaintiffs contend that the State Board's reply failed to address their objections in a meaningful way. 17 Before filing the October 14, 1982 complaint against the Department of Youth Services, Legal Services had earlier requested a due process hearing pursuant to 20 U.S.C.A. Sec. 1415(b)(2) on behalf of Dale V. Over a year later, the State Board dismissed Dale V.'s request for a hearing on mootness grounds because he had been released from Long Lane School on parole. Plaintiffs also claim that the State Board generally has not afforded children at Long Lane School an opportunity for a hearing on matters related to special education. Moreover, plaintiffs stress, the few hearings that are available are not geared to address system-wide violations of the EHA. III The Proceedings Below 18 As a result of what they perceived as inadequacies in Connecticut's treatment of their complaints, plaintiffs instituted this Sec. 1983 action on May 7, 1985 requesting declaratory and injunctive relief. The complaint does not seek judicial review of the State Board's substantive decisions, but requests instead an injunction requiring defendants to formulate and implement adequate complaint resolution procedures. 19 Defendants moved for a judgment on the pleadings claiming that plaintiffs have no private right of action under Sec. 1983. A magistrate recommended that the motion be granted on the grounds that plaintiffs had failed to invoke the EHA's due process procedures, defendants had a complaint resolution procedure in compliance with EDGAR regulations, and plaintiffs had failed to exhaust the administrative remedies set forth in the Act. The district court ruled that since the EHA is a comprehensive remedial statute, no private right of action lies against defendants. It adopted the magistrate's recommended ruling, granted defendants' motion, and dismissed plaintiffs' complaint. This appeal followed. We reverse and remand for further proceedings on the merits.