Re: Civil Rights Complaint – Denial of Graduation Access and Discriminatory Exclusion on the Basis of Disability
 
Dear OCR Investigator,

We, the parents of  -------“Theo” Stoner, are filing this formal civil rights complaint under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against ------- City Schools  and -----High School, for their ongoing discriminatory treatment and denial of graduation access to our son based on his disability.

Theo is a profoundly autistic, non-verbal young man who was enrolled in the Class of 2020 at ----- High School. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school held a modified “drive-through” graduation ceremony. Due to statewide lockdown restrictions at his care facility, ---------Center, Theo was unable to attend. He was never provided with an alternative ceremony, make-up option, or inclusion plan — despite multiple requests from our family between 2020 and 2025.

Theo:

Was a fully enrolled senior in good standing.
Had purchased his cap, gown, and senior materials.
Was told by staff that he would walk across the stage with his father.
Was acknowledged in emails by school staff as needing accommodations.
Never received a single offer for make-up participation.
We submitted emails, yearbook forms, medical documentation, and over five years of attempts to secure a meaningful alternative. Yet, no corrective action was ever taken. Most recently, on October 8, 2025, Superintendent ---------officially denied our renewed request for Theo to participate in the 2026 graduation, stating the event is “reserved exclusively for current seniors.”

This denial:

Ignores the reality of COVID-era disruptions and how they disproportionately harmed students with disabilities.
Fails to meet ADA and Section 504 obligations to accommodate special education students in school-sponsored activities.
Causes irreparable emotional harm to Theo and our family, as this was his only opportunity for public recognition.
We respectfully request the following actions be taken:

Theo Stoner be allowed to walk in the 2026 -------High School graduation, with reasonable accommodations as needed.
A formal acknowledgment and written apology be issued to Theo and our family.
Policy revisions be implemented to ensure all students with disabilities are included in future ceremonies and milestones.
An investigation into --------- Schools’ treatment of students with disabilities during COVID and whether any systemic discrimination occurred.
Theo will never have the chance to get married, start a career, or raise children — milestones many take for granted. Graduation was his one symbol of achievement and inclusion. Denying it, year after year, due to institutional neglect and lack of compassion is a violation of his civil rights.

Mrs. Stoner