Stanek v. St. Charles Community Unit School District No. 303

Matthew Stanek (plaintiff) was the son of Bogdan and Sandra Stanek (parents) (plaintiffs) and a student in the St. Charles Community Unit School District No. 303 (district) (defendant). Matthew was autistic and considered disabled under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the district provided Matthew with an individualized education program (IEP). With accommodations, Matthew excelled in school, earning high grades and taking advanced classes. However, during Matthew’s junior year, teachers began refusing to give Matthew accommodations, failing to follow Matthew’s IEP, and pressuring Matthew to drop out of advanced courses. Without the accommodations, Matthew received failing grades. Matthew’s parents attempted to meet with the school to discuss the situation, but teachers began negatively altering Matthew’s grades, dodging meetings with his parents, and refusing requests for academic records. The district attempted to conduct its required periodic special-education evaluation for Matthew, but Matthew’s parents refused to give consent. The district requested an administrative hearing to overrule the consent requirement, and Matthew and his parents each filed complaints alleging that the district and several individuals had violated federal disability laws. The hearing officer dismissed the family’s complaints on procedural grounds. The family members each filed suit in state court, alleging violations of the IDEA, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Rehabilitation Act. Matthew was 19 at the time of filing and had signed a delegation-of-rights form. The district removed the case to federal court. The court dismissed the family’s claims, and the family appealed to the Seventh Circuit.