Former Carson HS Student With Cerebral Palsy Sues LAUSD For Discrimination
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An 18-year-old man with cerebral palsy and spastic dysplasia has filed suit against the Los Angeles Unified School District for allegedly denying him accessible transportation while he was a student at Carson High School.
In a lawsuit filed last week under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, Edward Martinez, who uses a wheelchair, claims he was left stranded at the curb by teachers and classmates as they rode in an inaccessible bus for various activities, including road baseball games, field trips and a Grad Night trip to Disneyland.
"I got through high school and earned my diploma just like all other Carson graduates. But the others weren't repeatedly left behind for field trips, baseball games, and the final insult—the Grad Night trip to Disneyland," he said. "Actually, I didn't get left behind for Disneyland. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I had them lift me out of my wheelchair and carry me on and off the bus, like a little child. It was humiliating, but I was so sick of being left behind, all I wanted was to be with my friends."
Martinez also alleges staff had him stay in the school library for two weeks while his math class gathered in an upstairs room.
This is the second disability lawsuit Martinez has filed against the district.
The first suit was settled last year when the district agreed to train its staffers and get vehicles equipped for transporting people with disabilities.
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