Parent tells Big Walnut board court win but alleges continued exclusion of students with disabilities

At the public‑participation portion of the Nov. 17 meeting, resident Sherry Phillips raised allegations that two adopted daughters with disabilities are being excluded from school for half the day after being designated 'deferred graduates.' Phillips said this exclusion contravenes the students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP) entitlements and asserted that the family had "won" a court case on procedural grounds. She said the district had appealed and warned that litigation risks remain if services are not restored.

Phillips described that her daughter attends the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) while other students continue their education there; she said district staff told the family the students no longer needed a full day even though federal rules require students with disabilities to receive a school day consistent with others unless the IEP indicates otherwise. She urged the board to end what she characterized as discrimination and restore full-day academic and extracurricular access, including gym and music.

Board and staff responses during the meeting were limited to acknowledgments and an offer to accept the materials Phillips brought forward; no public remedial commitment or detailed administrative response was recorded in open session. The district’s future actions were not described on the record at this meeting; Phillips said the district may appeal and signaled an intent to continue pursuing remedies.

Because the matter implicates pending litigation and individualized education-program details, the public transcript contains the speaker’s allegations and the board’s brief acknowledgments but does not include privileged legal analysis or a formal district response in this public forum.