New Orleans parents of disabled 9-year-old sue Willow School over admissions test

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The parents of a 9-year-old boy with profound disabilities have sued a selective charter school in New Orleans, claiming that the school’s use of an admissions test violates legal protections for students with disabilities.

In a lawsuit filed this week in U.S Eastern District Court, Chris and Cristina Edmunds argue that the Willow School’s entrance exam excludes students with disabilities — including their son Oscar — from moving forward in the application process. As a result, they argue, the process violates state and federal protections for people with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Louisiana Human Rights Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the federal law that gives students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education.

The Willow School, whose mission is to provide a rigorous education to academically gifted students, is one of several New Orleans charter schools that require prospective students to earn a certain score on a reading and math test. The top-rated school typically receives several applications for every available seat, and the test helps narrow the pool of applicants to those who meet the school's academic standards.

But Chris Edmunds, an attorney who specializes in disability rights, says all public schools are required to meet the needs of students with disabilities — and they cannot use admissions practices to skirt that responsibility. Under the law, he argues, the Willow School must create a customized curriculum for Oscar, who has physical and mental disabilities stemming from a rare genetic condition.

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