Miller v. Monroe School District

159 F. Supp. 3d 1238, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13116, 2016 WL 410059
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedFebruary 3, 2016
DocketCASE NO. C14-1946-JCC
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 159 F. Supp. 3d 1238 (Miller v. Monroe School District) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miller v. Monroe School District, 159 F. Supp. 3d 1238, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13116, 2016 WL 410059 (W.D. Wash. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

John C. Coughenour, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This matter comes before the Court on the motions for summary judgment by Defendants individual Board members (Dkt. No. 65) and Defendants District, Board, and individual District employees (Dkt. No. 73). Having thoroughly considered the parties’ briefing and the relevant record, the Court hereby GRANTS in full the individual Board members’ motion (Dkt. No. 65) and GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the motion by the District, Board, and individual District employees (Dkt. No. 73) for the reasons explained herein.

I. BACKGROUND

Many of the facts in this case are disputed. The following are the facts viewed in a light most favorable to Plaintiff, as is appropriate on summary judgment review. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

I.M. was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. (Dkt. No. 1 at 8.) At the time of the events relevant to this case, I.M. was eight years old and a third grade Monroe School District student. (See Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2, 4; Dkt. No. 90-3 at 2.) To address LM.’s disability, a multidisciplinary team- — ■ including various school employees and LM.’s mother, Erica Miller — created an individualized education plan (IEP), an aversive intervention plan (AIP), and a behavior intervention plan (BIP) (collectively referred to as “the Plans”). (See Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2, 4.) The Plans created in May 2013 were in effect when the present conflict began. (See Dkt. No. 76 at 3.)

LM.’s May 2013 Plans described when, how, and which aversive interventions may be performed. (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2, 5.) Aversive interventions are “the systematic use of stimuli or other treatment which a student is known to find unpleasant for the purpose of discouraging undesirable behavior on the part of the student.” (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2.) Under I.M.’s AIP, aversive interventions could be utilized “if I.M. becomes unsafe to himself or others.” (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2.) The AIP permitted three kinds of aversive interventions: time out, seclusion, and Right Response techniques for physical management. (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2.) Time outs could last a maximum of five minutes; seclusions could last up to 20 minutes. (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 2.) The use of aversive interventions was limited to “Right Response trained individuals.” (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 3.) Right Response training is a four-day, 14-hour course designed to teach staff how to respond to escalating unsafe behaviors and how to implement physical safety techniques and interventions. (Dkt. No. 90-3 at 18, 22.) The course was required for school staff members who worked with special education students with AIPs. (Dkt. No. 90-3 at 22.)

LM.’s BIP also set forth “crisis management strategies” that were to be utilized when I.M. exhibited unsafe behavior. (Dkt. No. 90-1 at 5.) The strategies grew progressively more severe if the previous step was unsuccessful: first, asking I.M. to take [1243]*1243a time out at his desk with his head down; then, asking I.M. to take a time out in a more secluded area of the classroom; next, asking I.M. to take a time out in the seclusion room with the door open and an adult in the doorway; and, finally, closing the door to the seclusion room and monitoring I.M. through the window. (Dkt. No. at 5.)

In September 2013, I.M. began third grade at Chain Lake Elementary School. (Dkt. No. 76 at 1, 3.) His teacher was Melissa Hart, who was trained in special education. (Dkt. No. 76 at 1-2.) Hart was hired six days before she began teaching and was not able to participate in the Right Response training prior to becoming I.M.’s teacher. (Dkt. No. 76 at 2.) During the course of Hart’s interview, she was not asked whether she had Right Response training. (C15-1323, Dkt. No. 30-2 at 732.) Hart was provided an overview of the Right Response training at the end of the first day of school. (Dkt. No. 76 at 2-3.) She did not complete the Right Response course until October 2013, after I.M. left Chain Lake. (See Dkt. No. 76 at 3.)

I.M. attended Chain Lake for six days, during which he was subjected to aversive interventions on 10 occasions. (Dkt. No. 76 at 3, 5.) The aversive interventions were as follows:

September 4 at 9:45 a.m.: When I.M. was asked to write his name, he became aggressive towards Hart, hitting and kicking her. He was taken to the quiet room in a two-person escort by Hart and paraedu-cator Vanessa Ostler. He remained in the quiet room for five minutes. The entire time he was in the quiet room, an adult was outside the door and could see I.M. through the window in the door. (See Dkt. No. 90-3 at 2; Dkt. No. 76 at 5-6.)

September 4 at 12:40 p.m.: I.M. attempted to play with a gaming device. When asked to put it away, he became physically and verbally aggressive towards Hart and his fellow students. He was taken by a two-person escort to the quiet room. He remained there for two five-minute periods. An adult was outside the door and could see and hear I.M. through the window throughout the seclusion. (See Dkt. No. 90-3 at 3; Dkt. No. 76 at 6-7.)

September 4 at 3:20 p.m.: I.M. became frustrated at another student and pushed the student into a wall. He was taken to the quiet room in a two-person escort by Hart and Ostler. I.M. remained in the quiet room for five minutes. An adult was outside the door and could see and hear I.M. throughout the seclusion. (See Dkt. No. at 4; Dkt. No. 76 at 7.)

I.M. came home after school on September 4 with feces in his pants. (Dkt. No. 90-6 at 3.)

September 5 at 9:13 a.m.: When asked to write his name, I.M. lashed out at Hart. Paraeducator Brennan escorted I.M. to the quiet room, where he remained for three five-minute periods. Brennan was outside the door and could see and hear I.M. throughout the seclusion. (See Dkt. No. at 5; Dkt. No. 76 at 7-8.)

September 5 at 12:53 p.m.: While in music class, I.M. began disrupting and kicking his fellow students. I.M. then tried to leave the class and hit and kicked Ostler when she tried to stop him. Brennan put I.M. in a Right Response sitting hold to calm him down. (See Dkt. No. at 6; Dkt. No. 78 at 5-6.)

September 5 at 1:57 p.m.: I.M. was asked to participate in a group activity, but did not want to do so. He kicked a classmate and was escorted to the quiet room where he remained for five minutes. An adult staff member could see and hear I.M. throughout the seclusion. (See Dkt. No. at 8; Dkt. No. 76 at 8.)

September 6 at 9:32 a.m.: When I.M. was asked to sit safely in his chair, he [1244]*1244pushed the chair at Hart, kicked her, and tried to hit her. Brennan escorted him to the quiet room, where he stayed for four minutes. Brennan observed him throughout the seclusion. (See Dkt. No. at 9; Dkt. No. 76 at 8.)

September 6 at 12.45 p.m.: I.M. became annoyed at and punched another student. Brennan put her arms around I.M. from behind and I.M. bit Brennan. Hart and Brennan escorted I.M. to the quiet room where he remained for five minutes with Brennan watching him through the window. (See Dkt. No. at 10; Dkt. No. 76 at 8-9.)

September 10 at 11:35 a.m.: I.M. was asked to stop disrupting music class. He stopped and took a deep breath, then ran out of the room.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
159 F. Supp. 3d 1238, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13116, 2016 WL 410059, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miller-v-monroe-school-district-wawd-2016.