Chuhran v. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools

839 F. Supp. 465, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17610, 1993 WL 512006
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedNovember 23, 1993
DocketCiv. A. 92-76860
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 839 F. Supp. 465 (Chuhran v. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chuhran v. Walled Lake Consolidated Schools, 839 F. Supp. 465, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17610, 1993 WL 512006 (E.D. Mich. 1993).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER 1

COHN, District Judge.

I.

This is an eligibility for special education services case. Plaintiff, John Chuhran (Chuhran) brings this action against defendants, Walled Lake Consolidated Schools (Walled Lake), Farmington Public Schools (Farmington), Oakland Intermediate Schools District (Oakland) (collectively “School Districts”), and Michigan Department of Edu *468 cation (MDOE), alleging: Count I, violation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1400, et seq.; Count II, violation of the Michigan Mandatory Special Education Act (MMSEA), M.S.A. § 15.-41701 [M.C.L.A. § 380.1701]; Count III, violation of § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794; Count IV, violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; and, Count V, violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Now before the Court is the School Districts’ motion for summary judgment, MDOE’s motion to dismiss, Chuhran’s cross motion for summary judgment and motion for injunctive relief. For the reasons that follow, the School Districts’ and MDOE’s motions will be granted, and Chuhran’s motions will be denied.

II.

The following facts are undisputed. Chuhran was born October 19, 1969. He has Duchennes muscular dystrophy, a degenerative disease which severely limits his motor functions, thus qualifying him for special education and related services as a student with a “physical or other health impairment” pursuant to the IDEA and the MMSEA. Chuhran is a resident of Walled Lake Consolidated School District but attended a program for physically or otherwise health impaired individuals (POHI) operated by the Farming-ton Public School District at Farmington Harrison High School.

Chuhran’s muscular dystrophy leaves him wheelchair bound with virtually no hand or motor function. He receives deep tracheal suctioning every fifty minutes and is placed on a ventilator for forty-five minutes during the day. He also requires the assistance of a licenses practical nurse (LPN) or paraprofessional.

Prior to Chuhran’s matriculation to the ninth grade at Farmington Harrison High School in 1984, an Individualized Educational Planning Committee (IEPC) meeting was held to determine Chuhran’s eligibility for the special education program. Once eligibility was determined, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) was formulated in which the goal of completing a ninth grade curriculum was set for Chuhran. From the 1984-85 school year through the 1990-91 school year, pursuant to annual IEPs, Chuhran received special education and related services through a program operated by the Farmington Public School District.

In April, 1987, prior to Chuhran’s .completion of the twelfth grade in 1988, an IEPC was convened to develop a post-graduate plan for Chuhran. The IEP enlisted the support of Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS), a division of the MDOE which assists school districts in identifying individuals who will require vocational assistance after graduation from high school. Chuhran was also referred to New Horizons of Oakland County, Inc. (New Horizons), a private non-profit rehabilitation corporation, for a vocational evaluation. New Horizons reported on Chuhran’s interest in computers and expressed concern about a specific training program which would have required Chuhran to travel long distances to the facility. New Horizons recommended that Chuhran receive additional public school programming which would include computer training, use of adaptive equipment and additional math and business related classes.

On May 24, 1988, an IEPC determined that Chuhran continued to be capable of handling a regular course of study and alternative placements for the 1988-89 school year were rejected. Although Chuhran participated in commencement exercises with his class in June, 1988 he continued to attend classes at Harrison in 1988.

On May 18, 1989, an IEPC discussed two placement options for Chuhran: (1) continuing in the Farmington Harrison POHI, or (2) termination of services by means of graduation. Chuhran opposed graduation and the IEPC allowed Chuhran to remain at Harrison for the 1989-90 and 1990-91 school years.

On May 28, 1991, an IEPC determined that Chuhran should be graduated and recommended termination of his special education program and related services effective June 6, 1991. Chuhran disagreed with this conclusion and requested a due process hearing as provided by IDEA and MMSEA to challenge the recommendation. He also re *469 quested an administrative hearing under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

An administrative hearing was held before a Local Hearing Officer (LHO) on April 14, 15 and 16 of 1992. The LHO’s decision, issued on July 10, 1992, concluded that the IEPC’s recommendation that Chuhran be graduated was appropriate under the state and federal special education laws and that there had been no violation of § 504.

Chuhran requested a state level review of the local hearing officer’s decision. A state level hearing officer (SLRO) upheld the decision of the LHO. This case, which is a form of appeal followed.

III.

A.

1.

Count I alleges that Chuhran has not been provided with a free appropriate education through the secondary school level under IDEA. In an appeal under the IDEA, a district court is to “receive the records of the administrative proceedings, hear additional evidence at the request of a party, and, basing its decision on the preponderance of the evidence, grant such relief as the Court determines is appropriate.” 20 U.S.C. § 1415(e)(2). In other words, the Court reviews de novo giving due weight to the administrative findings. Board of Education of the Hendrickr-Hudson Central School District v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 102 S.Ct. 3034, 73 L.Ed.2d 690 (1982).

The IDEA provides, in relevant part:

20 U.S.C. § 1400(b) Congressional statements and declarations
4: ‡ H* ‡ $ H<
(9) it is the national interest that the Federal Government assist State and local efforts to provide programs to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities in order to assure equal, pro: tection of the law. ■

20 U.S.C. § 1400(c) Purpose

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Bluebook (online)
839 F. Supp. 465, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17610, 1993 WL 512006, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chuhran-v-walled-lake-consolidated-schools-mied-1993.