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Parent says Knox County families turned to lawsuits to obtain music therapy; asks board to ensure access without litigation
Summary
A Knox County parent told the board that multiple families filed lawsuits this summer to obtain music therapy for students, and urged the district to make services available without requiring families to litigate.
Sarah Raby, a Knox County resident of District 6, told the board during public forum that she supports the consent-agenda contracts before the board but urged the district to prevent litigation from becoming the default path to services.
"It is my understanding that 2 of the 3 of these contracts with music therapy providers are likely the result of 8 lawsuits filed against KCS this summer," Raby said. She described her daughter's experience: born with neonatal abstinence syndrome and other conditions, the family obtained a private music-therapy provider after adoption in 2022 and later sought an evaluation and services through Knox County Schools’ contracted provider.
Raby said the contracted board-certified music therapist recommended music therapy "as a necessary related service to our daughter's IEP, just like speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists would," but that district staff delayed and then denied services. "Only when we pushed back did they propose a trial period. They conducted the trial. The data clearly showed that music therapy was necessary service and yet again, the service was denied," she said. She described withdrawing a due-process request when the group of families filed lawsuits in June and said that contracts before the board that evening reflect a pattern in which litigation resulted in settlements and services: "File a lawsuit through an attorney and a quick settlement is likely."
Raby asked the board to "please look closely at the benefits this related service provides to students like our daughter and help us and other families access this benefit without resorting to litigation." The consent agenda that included the items Raby referenced was approved later in the meeting.
The board did not discuss the substance of Raby's remarks during the public comment period on the record at that time.
The parent identified the number of lawsuits and a sequence of events leading to contracts; the district's internal evaluation and decision-making steps were described by the speaker as the family's experience and are presented here as her account.
