Milwaukee Montessori School has agreed to pay a $290,000 settlement to resolve allegations that the private school discriminated against children with disabilities.
The U.S. Department of Justice found that MMS has discriminated against children with disabilities since at least 2018. Those discriminatory actions directly violate Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects individuals with disabilities.
According to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin’s office, MMS:
- “Denied, on the basis of disability, participation in its educational services to disabled children by expelling and refusing to admit them.”
- “Denied disabled children equal participation in MMS’s educational services by repeatedly sending them to the office, seating them separately from other students, and sending them home early because of manifestations of their disabilities.”
- “Failed to make reasonable modifications for disabled children.”
The experiences of 10 children serve as evidence in the settlement agreement.
“Children with disabilities have the right to access the educational opportunities offered by private schools, including Montessori schools,” said Richard Frohling, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. “This settlement is an important reminder that the ADA’s obligations extend to private schools and their treatment of students with disabilities.”
MMS does not admit liability for the allegations, according to a news release. MMS will pay $240,000 to aggrieved persons and a civil penalty of $50,000 to the United States. The settlement also includes injunctive relief that requires monitoring and reporting.
The school has taken steps to address the investigation’s findings. David Swanson, Head of School at Milwaukee Montessori School, said MMS has updated admissions policies, as well as how it handles disciplinary matters and accommodations requests. The school’s operations manual and staff and parent handbooks have also been updated.
“We are saddened by the alleged treatment of those with disabilities at our school and to
be clear, such conduct should never happen,” Swanson said in a statement. “I cannot speak to what may have occurred in the past, but what I can tell you is, we will not tolerate any of that behavior moving forward. Our teachers and staff are dedicated, hardworking educators who sincerely care about their students and have already started helping me to refine our internal processes, increase transparency, and implement additional training for our staff. We will be better together with a focus on providing inclusive, high-quality, student-centered education.”
