D.N. ex rel. Nolen v. Louisa County Public Schools

156 F. Supp. 3d 767, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5029, 2016 WL 183926
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Virginia
DecidedJanuary 13, 2016
DocketCivil Action No. 3:15-CV-00045
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 156 F. Supp. 3d 767 (D.N. ex rel. Nolen v. Louisa County Public Schools) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
D.N. ex rel. Nolen v. Louisa County Public Schools, 156 F. Supp. 3d 767, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5029, 2016 WL 183926 (W.D. Va. 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Glen E. Conrad, Chief United States District Judge

Plaintiffs Christina Nolen and Robert Nolen (the “Nolens”), individually and as next friends for their minor children, D.N. and N.N., bring this action against defendants Louisa County Public Schools (“LCPS”) and Louisa County School Board (“LCSB”). Plaintiffs appeal the outcome of their due process hearing under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400, et seq., as well as assert claims under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”), 29 U.S.C. § 794. The case is presently before the court on defendants’ motion to dismiss pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. For the following reasons, the motion will be granted in part and denied in part.

[770]*770Background

The following facts, taken from plaintiffs’ complaint, are accepted as true for purposes of the motion to dismiss. See Erickson v. Pardus, 551 U.S. 89, 94, 127 S.Ct. 2197, 167 L.Ed.2d 1081 (2007).

D.N. and N.N. are minor children who reside in Louisa, Virginia with their parents, the Nolens. D.N. has been a student within the LCPS system, which is overseen by LCSB, sinee 2009. During the 2013-2014 school year, D.N. and N.N. attended Moss-Nuckols Elementary School (“MNES”), which is operated by LCPS.

D.N. was diagnosed as autistic and was eligible for, and received, special education and related services as a child with autism. During the 2013-2014 school year, it was determined that D.N.’s “[l]east [r]estrictive [environment” was the general education classroom. Compl. ¶ 19. However, LCPS sent D.N. home “at least 10 times because of non-disciplinary issues caused by his [ajutism.” Id. ¶ 20. In addition, during the same school year, LCPS regularly removed D.N. from the general education classroom and sent him to the principal’s office for non-disciplinary issues caused by his autism. While in the principal’s office, D.N. received no educational instruction, but instead “made snowflakes and played on the [p]rincipal’s computer.” Id. ¶ 23. Finally, during the same school year, LCPS regularly prevented D.N. from attending class in the general education classroom and kept him in the special education room for non-disciplinary issues caused by his autism. LCPS denied these allegations in subsequent individualized education program (“IEP”) meetings with Ms. Nolen, where she also expressed concerns about the amount of classroom instruction that D.N. was missing.

The complaint further states that D.N.’s issues at school “followed him home.” Id. ¶ 30. Specifically, D.N. would often “act out uncontrollably,” causing stress and anxiety for N.N. and the Nolens. Because of D.N., the family was unable to attend church, visit friends and family, or take D.N. to any public places. These issues also caused Ms. Nolen to quit her job.

In December of 2013, D.N. was hospitalized because of his autism. In January of 2014, Ms. Nolen asked defendants to place D.N. in a private school that could handle his nondisciplinary issues caused by his autism. LCPS denied this request. In April of 2014, LCPS lost track of D.N. during the school day. Ms. Nolen again requested that LCPS place D.N. in a private school. LCPS denied her second request. On May 5, 2014, D.N. exited the school building on his own, but was later caught by an LCPS staff member. That same day, LCPS called the police and sought to have D.N. involuntarily committed for a mental health examination because of non-disciplinary issues caused by his autism. D.N. was forcibly removed from the school in handcuffs by two sheriffs deputies. Because the handcuffs were too large on D.N., the deputies put D.N. in leg shackles and placed him in the backseat of the police car. D.N. started to bang his head on the car’s door and cage, which prompted the deputies to remove him from the vehicle. Both N.N. and Mr. Nolen witnessed the entire incident. Deputies then transported D.N. to the hospital, where he was evaluated and released with no new diagnoses or medications.

The complaint alleges that, after witnessing the May 5, 2014 incident, N.N. “suffered from extreme anxiety [and] was afraid to ask a teacher for anything for fear that they would call the police and take him away.” Id. ¶43. In addition, N.N’s grades dropped, and he started suffering seizures before and during the school day because of his anxiety. The complaint alleges that Mr. Nolen also suffered “extreme stress and anxiety” after [771]*771witnessing the May 5, 2014 incident. Id. ¶ 81.

D.N. did not return to MNES after the May 5, 2014 incident. Instead, LCPS provided D.N. with special education and services at his home for the rest of the 2013-2014 school year. LCPS also provided D.N. with compensatory education over the summer of 2014. In May of 2014, LCPS agreed to place D.N. in a private school that specialized in teaching children with autism. During the 2014-2015 school year, D.N.’s non-disciplinary issues ceased, and he was no longer excluded from the general education classroom. The complaint alleges that, because D.N. was no longer experiencing issues at school, his family was once again able to attend church, visit family and friends, and go out in public.

On May 4, 2015, the Nolens filed a special education due process request under Section 504, seeking monetary damages for both their and D.N.’s non-IDEA injuries. In their request, the Nolens did not seek remedies under the IDEA because LCPS had provided D.N. with compensatory education and agreed to place him in a private school for children with autism; therefore, the special education issues with LCPS had been resolved. LCPS objected to the Nolen’s due process request, argu-. ing that the Hearing Officer could not award monetary damages. On May 28, 2015, the Hearing Officer sustained LCPs’s objection and dismissed the No-len’s due process request.

On August 25, 2015, plaintiffs initiated this action as both an appeal of the Hearing Officer’s decision and a four-count complaint under Section 504. As to the appeal of the Hearing Officer’s decision, plaintiffs argue that the Hearing Officer erred as a matter of law in dismissing the Nolen’s due process request. Plaintiffs ask the court to remand their case back to the Hearing Officer, so that the Hearing Officer may “fully develop the evidentiary record,” which in turn would “promote judicial efficiency.” Id. ¶ 58. As to the Section 504 claims, Count I of the complaint alleges that defendants discriminated against D.N. based solely on his disability. In Count II, plaintiffs claim that defendants caused N.N. extreme anxiety when they discriminated against D.N. In Count III, plaintiffs claim that defendants caused Ms. Nolen to quit her job and suffer extreme stress and anxiety when they discriminated against D.N. In Count IV, plaintiffs claim that defendants caused Mr. Nolen extreme stress and anxiety when they discriminated against D.N. Plaintiffs seek damages in the amount of $445,000.00 as well as equitable relief.

On September 18, 2015, defendants moved to dismiss the complaint pursuant to Rules 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules for Civil Procedure. The court held a hearing on the motion on December 11, 2015.

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156 F. Supp. 3d 767, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5029, 2016 WL 183926, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dn-ex-rel-nolen-v-louisa-county-public-schools-vawd-2016.