U.S. Attorney's Office Obtains Settlement with Fitzgerald Public Schools Requiring Bus Stop Accessibility

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has reached a settlement with the Fitzgerald Public Schools in Warren, Michigan, to resolve allegations that it denied services to a parent with a mobility disability when it refused to provide a bus stop that she could access, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. “This case is a reminder that school districts are required to make reasonable modifications to ensure equal access for everyone,” U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said. “Parents have the right to participate in their children’s education, including taking their children to the bus stop. Schools have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to reduce barriers to full participation.” The settlement resolves a complaint that the Fitzgerald Public Schools failed to accommodate a parent with a disability who uses a wheelchair when the school district refused to modify the location of her children’s bus stop so that she could access the area to ensure that her children arrived at the bus stop and boarded safely. The mother initially requested an accessible bus stop in September 2014 when her youngest child started kindergarten, but the district did not modify the bus stop location until March 2015. Under the settlement, the Fitzgerald Public Schools agreed to update its policies and training materials to ensure compliance with the ADA, pay compensatory damages to the complainant and provide an accessible bus stop so long as the complainant has elementary age children who ride the district’s school buses. Those interested in finding out more about this settlements, the obligations of public entities under the ADA, or filing a complaint may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office via email at: www.usamie.civilrights@usdoj.gov, or by calling: 313-226-9151. They may also contact the Justice Department through its toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), access its ADA website at www.ada.gov, or file a complaint by email at ada.complaint@usdoj.gov.