Running Head: Debbie Young v.

Jonathan 1

Debbie Young v. Jonathan

Nevada School Law

Maci Kesler

College of Southern Nevada

Running Head: Debbie Young v. Jonathan 2

Debbie Young has refused 10th grader Jonathan to attend the school district due to his

severe disabilities and extreme needs. Her decision to do this would be defensible. There are

many cases that I will use to explain why he decision is defensible. I will also use these cases to

explain why she may have made the wrong decision. I will start will the side of the parents of

Jonathan.

The IDEA states that all students between the ages of 3 – 21 have the right to free and

appropriate education, identification and nondiscriminatory evaluation, individual education

program, least restrictive environment and, due process (IDEA 143). According to the IDEA,

regardless of the nature or severity of the disability, students with special needs are entitled to

free education and services to meet their specification (Free and Appropriate Education 143).

The case Cedar Rapids Independent School District v. Garrett F. was about a student who

needed a continuous nurse, the school did not want to provide a nurse for the student but the

court ruled in favor of the parents (Cedar Rapids 154). This case is similar to Jonathan because

this student needs a constant nurse. It is also similar because the parents want to keep the student

in the classroom. This leads me to believe that the court may feel the same way.

Now for Young’s defense, she is an experienced teacher and principal. She sees that with

Jonathan’s disabilities, it would make an extreme expense on the school to be able to

accommodate for Jonathans special needs. Plus the school is not the most valuable place for him.

Considering that he needs a lot of special attention, an environment that can provide this for him

would be better.

The Least Restrictive Environment says that all students are not permitted to being

placed in their neighborhood school (LRE 155). The case McLaughlin v. Holt Public Schools
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involved the school district deciding that a student would be more beneficial in a school at

another district due to the programs they offered (McLaughlin 155). Also in the case Beth B. v.

Clay, the parents did not want the student to be placed in a “self-contained program”. The court

ruled that the district cannot provide the best education for her (Beth B. 155).

I believe that the court will rule on the side of Debbie Young due to the least restrictive

environment principle. In the Sacramento City Unified School Dist. V. Holland case, they

adopted these factors; the classroom must have appropriate aids and services as compared with

the benefits of a special education classroom, must consider the nonacademic benefits of

interaction with other students, the effect of the child’s presence in the classroom, and the cost of

placing the child into a regular classroom (LRE 155). Depending on the disabilities of Jonathan,

I believe that the court will rule in favor of Young. I believe that he will be able to benefit more

from an educational setting to accommodate his services.

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Reference List

Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006). School Law for Teachers. Pearson Education Inc.,

Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46). Teachers’ Rights (pp. 47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.

IDEA 143. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006). School Law for Teachers. Pearson Education

Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46). Teachers’ Rights (pp. 47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Free and Appropriate Education 143. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006). School Law for

Teachers. Pearson Education Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46). Teachers’ Rights (pp.

47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Cedar Rapids Independent School District v. Garrett F. 154. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006).

School Law for Teachers. Pearson Education Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46).

Teachers’ Rights (pp. 47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.

McLaughlin v. Holt Public Schools 155. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006). School Law for

Teachers. Pearson Education Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46). Teachers’ Rights (pp.

47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Beth B. v. Clay 155. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006). School Law for Teachers. Pearson

Education Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46). Teachers’ Rights (pp. 47-62). Upper Saddle

River, NJ.

Sacramento City Unified School Dist. V. Holland 155. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006).

School Law for Teachers. Pearson Education Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46).

Teachers’ Rights (pp. 47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.

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Least Restrictive Environment 155. Underwood, J., Webb, L.D. (2006). School Law for

Teachers. Pearson Education Inc., Employment and Tenure (pp. 23-46). Teachers’ Rights (pp.

47-62). Upper Saddle River, NJ.