LANDMARK CIVIL RIGHTS SUPREME COURT RULING ON I D E A
In a 7 to 2 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (March 3, 1999) that under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), school districts must pay for special care for students with disabilities by a nurse or qualified individual during the school day at public expense, as long as the services can be provided by someone other than a doctor. This decision (Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garrett F), reaffirmed that all children with disabilities are to receive a free and appropriate education with special education and "related services."
In this particular case, Garret Frey, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa student (who uses a power wheelchair and ventilator) requires appropriate health care services that can be provided by a nurse or qualified layperson. The court ruled that the "related services" definition broadly encompasses those supportive services that may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education." Disability rights advocates, leaders, service providers, family and friends hail the decision as a landmark re-enforcement of the right to an education for the nation's millions of children with disabilities.