J.P.M. ex rel. C.M. v. Palm Beach County School Board

916 F. Supp. 2d 1314, 2013 WL 360043, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12566
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedJanuary 30, 2013
DocketCase No. 10-80473-CIV
StatusPublished

This text of 916 F. Supp. 2d 1314 (J.P.M. ex rel. C.M. v. Palm Beach County School Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
J.P.M. ex rel. C.M. v. Palm Beach County School Board, 916 F. Supp. 2d 1314, 2013 WL 360043, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12566 (S.D. Fla. 2013).

Opinion

AMENDED ORDER AND OPINION ON MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

KENNETH A. MARRA, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE is before the Court upon the Official-Capacity Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment [DE 42] and Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment on State Law Tort Claims [DE 43]. The motions are on behalf of Defendant Palm Beach County School Board (“the School Board”).1 The Court has carefully considered the motions, responses, replies, entire court record, oral argument of counsel, the School Board’s Motion for Reconsideration, and is otherwise fully advised in the premises.

INTRODUCTION

This matter is about an autistic Exceptional Student Education (“ESE”) student enrolled in the Palm Beach County School District. His initials are C.M. C.M.’s parents, J.P.M. and R.G.M., are the Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs allege violations of C.M.’s rights under federal and state laws. They seek compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief, against the School Board for allegedly subjecting C.M. to years of excessive and improper restraints while attending Lantana Middle School. Plaintiffs contend C.M. was placed in a [1316]*1316residential facility for psychological treatment to overcome the trauma of being restrained. The School Board moves for summary judgment as to all federal and state claims.

UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS

1. At all times material to this case, C.M. was enrolled as a student in the Palm Beach County School District and was designated early on in his life by the School Board as being “educable mentally handicapped.” First Amended Complaint (“Compl.”), DE 26 at ¶¶ 6,19.

2. C.M. suffers from a genetic disability called Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, which affects physical and mental development, as well as autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, sensory disorder, simple and complex motor and vocal tics,2 and gastrointestinal reflux (“acid reflux”). DE 26, ¶ 21; DE # s 42, 48-1. While C.M. is verbal and can engage in a short conversation, his disabilities present problems with expressive language and prohibit him from communicating clearly. Compl. ¶ 21; Ex. 0 at 37-38.

3. “C.M. is small in stature, underweight, physically delayed, and pretty frail.” DE 48-1, ¶ 27.

4. C.M. started exhibiting behavior issues in early elementary school (in school only). DE # s 42, 48-1. In the sixth grade, C.M. was having significant incidents of self-injurious behavior (ie., biting his own arm) and physical aggression (ie., hitting and kicking) teachers, staff and students. Pam Tepsic3 (“Tepsic”) Depo., Ex. 3 at 20; Joann Thornton4 (“Thornton”) Depo., Ex. C at 233. “C.M.’s aggression towards others is a learned behavior.” DE 48-1, ¶ 29.

5. School records indicate that it was necessary to restrain C.M. to avoid injury to himself or others. Ex. I. [1317]*1317Each time C.M. was restrained, it was due to a perceived crisis, rather than part of his behavioral management plan. 4/24/12 Hearing Transcript at 17, 71-73; Ex. 8. C.M. was first restrained on March 17, 2004, when C.M. was in sixth grade. Tepsic Depo., Ex. 3 at 15. The restraint logs from C.M.’s sixth grade are missing. Ex. A at 129-30; Ex. L at 166. The only evidence of C.M. being restrained is the PCM Physical Assistance Logs found in Ex. K. At oral argument, it was stated by way of explanation that all instances of restraint consisted of someone holding CM, for instance, either his hands and/or his feet (without twisting his arms), and no mechanical restraint was ever used on C.M. 4/24/12 Hearing Transcript at 14.

6. For purposes of this motion only, the School Board concedes that, over a 14 month period of time, there were 89 incidents of restraint with 27 prone restraints being documented.

7. After three restraints are performed within one month, a child’s Functional Behavioral Assessment (“FBA”) must be reviewed, and updated if appropriate. Ex. G; Thornton Depo. Ex. C at 174-75. After three restraints were placed on C.M., a new FBA was not conducted because “we knew what the function was for him ... but we did meet to go over the plan to see what was working and what wasn’t working. After awhile we also — I requested that we have Merrill Winston come in the capacity of a certified behavior analyst to help us out.” Thornton Depo. Ex. C at 174-75.

8. The form of the majority of restraints performed on C.M. was taken from the theories and instructions of the Professional Management Crisis Association (“PCMA”).5 PCM is a behaviorally-based system using natural physical positioning that avoids awkward movements. Ex. H at 45. PCM was adopted as the School Board’s policy on restraints or immobilization and PCMA has trained the School Board’s personnel to perform PCM techniques on students for 17 years. Ex. 7 at 172-73. Under PCM, if a student tries to hit, punch, or kick another, staff attempts to deflect and transport, rather than restrain the student. Ex. 3 at 24. Sometimes, however, the student’s physical aggression escalates quickly, requiring the child to be restrained. Ex. 3 at 57-58.

9. C.M. “started going downhill” in the middle of seventh grade. He did not want to go to school and was crying a lot. He regressed academically and behaviorally. He had sleep problems, phobias and fears, and lost a lot' of his communication skills. He started being aggressive at home. Ex. A at 67-71.

10. Pursuant to an Individual Educational Plan (“IEP”), C.M. attended Lantana Middle School for sixth and seventh grades and part of eighth grade. DE # s 42, 48-1. A Behavior Intervention Plan (“BIP”), in effect as of April 2004, states: “County approved restraints (TEAM) policies may be used if [C.M.] displays continuous ag[g]ression or high magnitude dis[1318]*1318ruption.” Ex. D, Bates stamp P005555. There is another copy of the BIP with the word “TEAM” blacked out. A BIP is a working document and changes are usually made by hand. Tepsic Depo. at 16-17.

11. Performing a TEAM restraint (now known as VITAL) is a crisis management procedure used by the school police to insure safety and de-escalate target behavior in emergency situations. Tepsic Depo. at 18-20.; Ex. 7 at 177, Ex. 3 at 17-18, 59. Thornton recommended that the TEAM restraint technique not be performed on C.M. Thornton Depo. at 178-79.

12. During the time period of 2004 through 2007, both PCM and TEAM techniques were used to restrain ESE students. Tepsic Depo. at 13. The School Board preferred to use PCM techniques with ESE students, although the written policies did not preclude TEAM techniques. Exs. H, F, G.

13. The PCM method does not preclude a horizontal restraint for someone such as C.M., who has gastrointestinal reflux, however, it is contraindicated.6 Ex. 5 at 200-02. C.M.’s reflux condition could impose discomfort or pain when the prone restraint is imposed. Ex. 5 at 205.

14. The BIP became a part of C.M.’s IEP and was given to all of C.M.’s teachers and para-professionals. Tepsic Depo. at 17-18. It is unknown which version of the BIP was distributed.

15. One PCM record reveals no reason why C.M. was restrained, who restrained him, or what type of restraint was performed. Ex. 3 at 27-28.

16.

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Bluebook (online)
916 F. Supp. 2d 1314, 2013 WL 360043, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12566, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jpm-ex-rel-cm-v-palm-beach-county-school-board-flsd-2013.