Justice for Hope highlights real stories of students denied their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
These cases, drawn from public reporting and federal filings, show that Hope’s story is not unique — it is part of a systemic problem in private education.
Family Sues Elite D.C. School Over Disability and Race Harassment- Saint Anselm’s Abbey School Lawsuit (DC)
On June 17, 2025, a civil rights lawsuit was filed in D.C. Superior Court against Saint Anselm’s Abbey School, an elite boys’ school in Washington, D.C. The family of a neurodivergent Black student alleged he endured daily harassment because of his autism and race, and was later suspended after defending himself.
DOJ Settles with Milwaukee Montessori over Discrimination Against Children with Disabilities
On May 8, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS) agreed to an injunctive settlement and paid $290,000 to resolve allegations of denying children with disabilities equal access to education, in violation of Title III of the ADA.
Vermont Autism School Under Investigation for Failing Students
In late 2024, educators and families raised serious concerns about the I.N.S.P.I.R.E. School for Autism in Brattleboro, Vermont. Public reporting revealed that students with autism were effectively “warehoused,” billed for services that were never delivered.
United States Settles with Sayre Private School in Lexington over Disability Discrimination
In April 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky announced a settlement with Sayre School, a private K-12 institution in Lexington. Federal investigators found the school had discriminated against children with disabilities by denying admission to qualified students solely on the basis of disability, a violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).