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Parent says Elmwood Park students were initially blocked from Special Olympics state competition, cites federal disability laws
Summary
During public comment a parent, Karen Henning, said her son and other Special Olympics athletes were initially told they could not attend a state meet and accused the district of violating Section 504, Title II of the ADA and IDEA; the board asked superintendent Dr. Leah Gocci to investigate and report back.
Karen Henning, a parent, used the board’s public comment period to describe problems getting Special Olympics athletes to competitions and to urge the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 board to fix the apparent lapses.
Henning said her son, Gavin, a seventh-grader who has an individualized education program, relied on school services to participate in extracurricular athletics, including Special Olympics. She said that last year Gavin qualified for state competition but initially was told he could not participate; the district later reversed that decision and students attended state, she said. Henning told the board there were "missed opportunities" and asked why coaching positions for Special Olympics were posted internally so late that community coaches who do not work in the district were not recruited.
Henning told the board the district’s practices may violate federal disability laws, naming "section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973," "title 2 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991," and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990." She asked the board for an explanation of why the situation occurred and for assurances that students with disabilities "aren't forgotten and denied these opportunities again."
Chair (speaker 1) acknowledged the comment and asked Dr. Leah Gocci to look into the matter and report back to the board.
The meeting record does not include a detailed administrative response or timeline for follow-up; Henning’s account and legal citations were offered as part of public comment rather than as board findings or a staff report.
