Important Ruling in Pro Bono Class Action Against the School District of Philadelphia

A federal judge has ruled that a class action lawsuit challenging the failure of the Philadelphia School District to provide translation and interpretation services to non-English speaking parents of children with disabilities can move forward.

The complaint, filed in 2015 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by the Public Interest Law Center, Education Law Center and Drinker Biddle, asserted seven counts against the School District. The parent and student plaintiffs alleged that the absence of translation and interpretation services deprives members of the proposed class of parents their right to participate meaningfully in the special education planning for their children.

The School District sought to dismiss every count of the complaint, and Judge Goldberg denied the motion in its entirety, allowing the case to move forward with fact discovery and class certification proceedings.

Drinker Biddle partner Paul Saint-Antoine and associates Chanda Miller, Ginene Lewis and Lucas Michelen represent the plaintiffs in the case.

Read the Public Interest Law Center’s full press release on the ruling.