A federal judge says the legal services group that oversees the welfare of disabled and mentally ill New Yorkers has the right to access the special education classroom and records of a school district where parents complained of abuse.
U.S. District Judge David Hurd has granted Disability Rights New York an injunction prohibiting the North Colonie Central School District from disputing its investigative authority.
The suburban Albany district provided access and records after initially denying it, arguing the school and its students were not subject to that oversight.
Disability Rights said it received six separate complaints in 2014 from parents and an ex-employee alleging inappropriate use of physical restraints and student seclusion at Blue Creek Elementary School's special education class for fourth, fifth and sixth graders.
© 2016 Associated Press
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