School district denies discrimination claim for cutting autistic girl from dance team
Parents sued after daughter listed as 'alternate' on Brookings team because of behavioral problems
A South Dakota school district has filed court papers denying it discriminated against an autistic student left off a school dance team.
Education officials in Brookings say a decision to keep a student with disruptive behavior off the hip hop dance squad was not discriminatory. The denial comes after the parents of the girl accused the school of violating federal law in a lawsuit filed last month.
“Any decisions ... were based upon legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons,” according to a response by the district this week in the case filed by Peter and Sheila Shore, who say their daughter began cutting herself, needed mental health care and no longer felt “joy” in dancing as a result of not making the team.
