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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

Jonathan Ellis's avatar
Jonathan Ellis
Nov 23, 2025
∙ Paid
hiphop graffiti
Photo by Ben Wiens on Unsplash

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.

South Dakota's chief educator harkens penny math lessons as Trump phases out 1¢ coin

Joe Sneve
·
Nov 22
South Dakota's chief educator harkens penny math lessons as Trump phases out 1¢ coin

A dumbstruck teenage cashier froze, staring at the nickel and penny a customer slid across the counter — an offering meant to save everyone from the tyranny of four unwanted pennies.

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