Wednesday, August 24th, 2016
Today the Department of Justice filed the nation's first lawsuit to challenge a state-run separate educational services system under the ADA and Olmstead,United States v. Georgia, No. 1:16-mi-99999-UNA N. D. Ga. 2016. The lawsuit seeks to vindicate the civil rights of approximately 4, 600 students with behavior-related disabilities across Georgia that have been denied access to integrated mental health and therapeutic educational services and supports. The lawsuit alleges that the State has violated Title II of the ADA by unnecessarily segregating thousands of students with behavior-related disabilities and providing them unequal educational opportunities in the segregated Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support Program ("GNETS Program") and by placing other such students at risk of such segregation, when they could be served in general education settings.
The Department conducted an extensive investigation into whether Georgia is violating Title II of the ADA by placing students with behavior-related disabilities in GNETS when such persons are capable of receiving services in general education settings. On July 15, 2015, the Department issued its findings that the State was in violation of the ADA.
For more information on the Americans with Disabilities Act or this lawsuit, visit ADA.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).
Article Credit: U.S. Department of Justice