Luciano v. East Central Board of Cooperative Educational Services

885 F. Supp. 2d 1063, 2012 WL 2153802, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81596
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedJune 13, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 11-cv-01010-RBJ-CBS
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 885 F. Supp. 2d 1063 (Luciano v. East Central Board of Cooperative Educational Services) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Luciano v. East Central Board of Cooperative Educational Services, 885 F. Supp. 2d 1063, 2012 WL 2153802, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81596 (D. Colo. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

R. BROOKE JACKSON, District Judge.

Five pre-trial motions are pending and are addressed in this order.

FACTS

Rio Luciano and Debby Sala are the parents of a 14-year old child, “J.S.,” who has been diagnosed with severe disabilities including communication disabilities, mobility impairment, developmental delays, epilepsy and other developmental, physical and psychological disabilities. From approximately June 2008 through March 2010 they lived in Genoa, Colorado. The East Central Board of Cooperative Educational Services (“ECBOCES”) administered the special education program in that district and was responsible for pro[1066]*1066viding J.S. a “free appropriate public education” as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act (“IDEA”), 20 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq.

During the 2008-2009 school year ECBOCES provided J.S. with special education in a program in the Genoa-Hugo School District. At the end of the 2008-2009 school year plaintiffs were informed that during the 2009-2010 school year J.S. would attend a newly established special education program administered by ECBOCES in the Limón School District.

In their Complaint [docket # 1] the plaintiff parents allege that they were only allowed a “cursory inspection” of the Limón facilities before the school year began. However, they could tell that the facilities, including toilet facilities, were not “accessible” to J.S. They allege that school representatives refused to discuss their concerns. ECBOCES told them that it planned to renovate the facilities over the Christmas vacation to resolve accessibility issues and denied plaintiffs’ request to return J.S. to her previous school in the Genoa-Hugo district.

Plaintiffs allege that prior to the Christmas vacation J.S. had to defecate and urinate in diapers. She was allegedly denied access to a swing she had used at Genoa to aid in her vestibular development and access to various other services, the result of which was that J.S. regressed physically and emotionally. Plaintiffs allege that the accessibility problems were not addressed during the Christmas vacation, so they removed J.S. from the program.

Because the parents did not believe that ECBOCES was providing a free appropriate public education as required by IDEA, they pursued relief through an administrative hearing system. See 20 U.S.C. § 1415(b), (f). In their “Due Process Complaint” they alleged violations of IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (“Section 504”), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“Title II of the ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12132.

In February 2011 the parties (the parents on half of JS and ECBOCES) settled the administrative claim on terms set forth in a Settlement Agreement and Release [# 45-2]. In exchange for a cash sum and other consideration, the parents released ECBOCES from any claim that might be available under IDEA and, with exceptions noted, from any claim under Section 504 or Title II of the ADA. Id. ¶¶ 1-4. The released claims included “any and all claims for educational injuries allegedly suffered by J.S. as a result of the conduct alleged in the Due Process Complaint and all claims for compensatory education services, speech language services, physical therapy services, and/or occupational therapy services provided to J.S. as a result of the conduct alleged in the Due Process Complaint.” Id. ¶ 4. However, the release expressly did not include “claims for monetary relief under Section 504 or Title II of the ADA based on physical, medical, emotional, or psychological injuries, property loss, or moving-related costs allegedly suffered by J.S. or Parents as a result of the conduct alleged in the Due Process Complaint.” Id. ¶ 4.

Plaintiffs filed this suit on April 15, 2011, asserting three claims for relief: (1) violation of section 504; (2) violation of the Title II of the ADA; and (3) breach of contract. In response to the pending motion for summary judgment, they have indicated that they wish to dismiss the breach of contract claim. Their remaining claims focus on alleged denial of adequate access to appropriate toilet facilities; access to a vestibular swing; access to facilities such as the playground; and access to appropriate instruction or training in communication, including sign language training, occupational and life skills, music [1067]*1067therapy and toilet training. They seek compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees and costs. The case is set for a jury trial commencing July 30, 2012.

CONCLUSIONS

Defendant’s Motion to Exclude the Proffered Testimony and Report of Dr. Jana Burke [# 41].

ECBOCES objects to Dr. Burke’s opinions on grounds that she is not qualified to render them and that they amount to impermissible instruction on the law. I agree with the latter argument and, therefore, grant this motion with limited exceptions noted below.1

Dr. Burke provides information, advice and training to employers and other organizations and individuals regarding compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Burke Report [41-1] at 1. Although, as noted by ECBOCES, her educational background does not appear to be focused on these subjects, an expert may be qualified by “knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education.” I am satisfied from her biographical information that she has knowledge and work experience sufficient to qualify her as an expert in ADA compliance.

However, her report consists of stating what the ADA and Rehabilitation Act require, replete with citations to the statutes and regulations issued thereunder; reciting facts gleaned from the plaintiffs and other sources; and expressing opinions that ECBOCES violated the two statutes. She summarizes her opinions by stating that ECBOCES violated the statutes by (1) denying J.S. the benefit of programs, activities and services because she was unable to access them; (2) denying J.S. a “free appropriate public education;” (3) discriminating against J.S. by failing to address physical barriers, including access to the playground area and path-of-travel barriers; and (4) failing to ensure that staff communication with J.S. was as effective as with other students. Report at 2.

In Specht v. Jensen, 853 F.2d 805 (10th Cir.1988), the court considered “whether Fed.R.Evid. 702 will permit an attorney, called as an expert witness, to state his views of the law which govern the verdict and opine whether defendants’ conduct violated that law.” Id. at 806. In concluding that the testimony was inadmissible, the court emphasized that instructing the jury on the law is the sole province of the judge. See id. at 808-10. Nor is it helpful to the jury to have an expert instruct the jury on how it should decide the case. Ibid. Dr. Burke’s opinions would amount to instruction on the law and that ECBOCES violated the law.

Ms.

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885 F. Supp. 2d 1063, 2012 WL 2153802, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81596, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/luciano-v-east-central-board-of-cooperative-educational-services-cod-2012.