Supreme Court Says: Lawyers Optional for Parents Suing Schools to Improve Services for Children With Disabilities

OPEN MINDS, The Behavioral Health & Social Service Industry Analyst Industry News On May 21, 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that parents of children with disabilities may represent their own interests when challenging a public school district’s individualized education plan (IEP) for their child with disabilities. The majority opinion in Winkleman, et al., v. Parma City School District was that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees rights to both children and their parents. So, when parents protest an IEP in court, they represent their own interests and are not “engaged in the unauthorized practice of law.” The . . .