Amir

When Amir asserted his legal rights, his school retaliated against him by attempting to transfer him to another school mid-year.

Because of his recent diagnosis, Amir, a fourth grader, cannot independently manage his diabetes.  Amir and his three siblings attend school together.  Amir’s older sister helps him manage his diabetes while they are on the bus commuting between their home and their school.

In the fall of his third grade year, the district held a Section 504 meeting without any representatives from Amir’s school.  The school was ineffective in implementing the first Section 504 plan, so another meeting was scheduled several months into the school year.  This time, school representatives were at the Section 504 meeting, but the principal of the school was not.  Amir’s family felt as though the meeting went well and they were looking forward to a good school year for Amir. 

However, several days after the second Section 504 meeting, the principal of Amir’s school sent Amir a letter saying that he was to be transferred to another school at the end of the week.  The principal argued that Amir would be safer at another school, which was closer to Amir’s house.  However, her reasoning was contrary to school policy, the law, and Amir’s personal safety and well being.

In conjunction with the Health & Disability Advocates, we wrote a letter to the principal at Amir’s school asking her to rescind the transfer.  We also stated that if she continued with the transfer, we would file a motion in federal court asking a judge to stop the transfer. Read the letter here.

The letter proved to be effective, and Amir was able to finish the school year at his school.