Running head: PLACEMENT OF A STUDENT WITH DISABILITES 1

Special Education

Cristopher R. Gamboa, Student

College of Southern Nevada

Author Note

College of Southern Nevada, EDU 210-1003, Dr. Dale B. Warby.

DEBBIE YOUNG’S DECISION 2

Special Education

A seasoned high school principal refused the parents’ request of a severely disabled

student due to extraordinary, as well as being not appropriate placement for the student to be in a

school in the district. Debbie Young is experienced as a special education teacher and had a

profession as an assistant principal in a progressive, affluent school district in the South. Now the

student, Jonathon, has plenty of disabilities that require constant care by specially trained nurse,

this includes: profoundly mentally disabled, has spastic quadriplegia, and has seizure disorder.

Pro Support

Supporting Debbie Young being defendable, we could look at a case that had been in

favor of the School District. A case where it was look at as “parents are not entitled to what is

“best” for their children, Walczak v. Florida Union Free School District (2nd Cir. 1998). This

case has to support the decision of Principal Debbie Young as she decided that the schools is not

best suited for the student Jonathon. Similar issues but with this case having to do with tuition

reimbursement, maximizing v. appropriate.

Another case being similar to the disabilities of a student and having to the schools

proposed placement, the case Winkelman v. Parma City Sch. Dist. (6th Cir. 2006). Where it

having the Court decision being in favor of the placement being appropriate. This case is very

good case to look at with the Debbie Young as the situation are very similar.

Con Support

Supporting the being of Debbie not being defensible, we can look at the case Brown v. Bd

of Education, 347 U. S. 483 (1954). A famous decision by the Supreme Court finding “That

segregated public schools are inherently unequal; decision is relevant to children in segregated

special education placements.” This case involved of segregated students for something they
DEBBIE YOUNG’S DECISION 3

can’t control, that being their physical trait as the Brown case and also being disabled as the

Debbie Young case. Both cases involved segregation and the Brown case decided that it was

inherently unequal.

Another case we could look at, especially for special education, Board of Ed. of Hendrick

Hudson Central School Dist. v. Rowley 458 U.S. 176 (1982). This being similar to the Debbie

Young case with disability, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Act). A

famous case that assisted students like Jonathon, students with disability.

Conclusion

This case can be looked at many ways, but Debbie Young is not defendable, for a huge

reason of denying access to education in the district that the student is. She felt that the

placement for the disabled student was not appropriate and that can go many ways, but the

decision of not being placed in a school in the whole district is not alright. This is case is not up

to one principal, as she could of directed them to the school board to further the placement of the

student.
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References

Special Education Caselaw from U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals and Federal District

Courts. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2017, from http://www.wrightslaw.com/caselaw.htm

Walczak v. Florida Union Free School District (2nd Cir. 1998).

Winkelman v. Parma City Sch. Dist. (6th Cir. 2006).

Brown v. Bd of Education, 347 U. S. 483 (1954).

Board of Ed. of Hendrick Hudson Central School Dist. v. Rowley 458 U.S. 176 (1982).