Parent alleges disability discrimination at district-contracted preschool; board hears Title I and due-process concerns
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Summary
A parent told the Yuma Elementary District board Dec. 9 her pre-K daughter was denied use of a walker at an Arizona Western College Child Development Center classroom, alleging discrimination under Section 504 and the ADA; other parents raised Title I notification and accountability concerns and urged state intervention.
During the meeting’s public-comment period, a parent, Lourdes Lopez, described removing her pre-K daughter from class after staff at the Arizona Western College Child Development Center allegedly refused to allow the child to use her walker inside the classroom and placed the device in a separate room. Lopez said the walker was included in the child's IEP and that staff repeatedly questioned whether the child 'really need[s] the walker.' She said on one occasion staff failed to send the walker home on the bus.
Lopez told the board she viewed the events as disability discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act and requested disciplinary action for the staff involved, districtwide training on disability rights and accommodations, and written assurances of oversight and follow-up. She said the family removed the child from the class while awaiting accommodation and alleged possible retaliation when the district suggested dropping the child for missed attendance.
Board members did not take action on Lopez’s complaint during the meeting; the public comment was heard as part of the call to the public. Other parents who spoke (one named in the record as Irma Felix and another speaker who identified long-running concerns) raised separate but related issues: they alleged the district has not delivered required Title I surveys to parents for two years, asserted that no disciplinary actions were taken in response to reported violations, and asked the board to seek state intervention to ensure due process.
What happens next: The comments were entered on the public record; the parent requested district follow-up, training, disciplinary reviews, and oversight. Board members and staff acknowledged the complaint and the need to address parental concerns about complaint accessibility and responsiveness (the board later moved to ensure complaint forms are available in paper across schools and to draft a consolidated form).