Court Opinion

ID: 9731740
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 15:56:55.602153+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:20.936325
License: Public Domain

*799HOLMDAHL, J.
I respectfully dissent.
The lead opinion concedes that “John’s problems were formidable and extremely difficult for diagnosis and treatment.” I agree. However, taking into account “[e]quitable considerations such as the effectiveness of the existing IEP and the reasonableness of the parties’ actions,” I am unable to concur in the ultimate conclusion of the opinion that the respondents acted with “bad faith.”
That ultimate conclusion is based upon numerous criticisms concerning respondents’ alleged shortcomings during the 1977-1978 and 1978-1979 school years. Yet, respondents, attempting to meet their responsibilities, conducted numerous meetings and consultations with John, his parents, and others during those years. While no new Individualized Education Program (IEP) was devised for John during 1978, his parents in February agreed to continue with the IEP established in the previous September and in the fall of 1978, “with the participation of his parents ... it was tentatively decided that his IEP would remain unchanged in high school.” John’s increasing truancy and custody by the juvenile authorities then occurred, as well as his parents’ efforts to place him in a private school. By January, 1979, John’s parents had withdrawn him from the public school system. Yet, respondents conducted numerous consultations with his parents in January, February, March, and April 1979, concerning his placement and development of a new IEP. And, in March 1979, his parents enrolled him at Provo Canyon School (PCS). That placement at PCS was unilateral.
I am unable to conclude that respondents’ efforts, only partially and briefly described above, provide any basis for a finding of “bad faith” or “arbitrary and capricious” action.
I would affirm the judgment.
A petition for a rehearing was denied August 29, 1985. Holmdahl, J., was of the opinion that the petition should be granted. The petition of respondent La Pointe for review by the Supreme Court was denied October 23, 1985.