March 21, 2023 / 11:45 PM

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Miguel Luna Perez, a deaf student who sued his public school for providing an inadequate education. The ruling is significant for disabled students across the nation, who accuse school officials of neglecting their educational needs. Perez claimed that for 12 years, the school system lied to his parents about his progress and neglected him, stunting his ability to communicate permanently. After a settlement between the family and school officials regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Perez and his family pursued monetary damages under a different federal law. The Supreme Court’s decision confirmed that Perez’s family had the right to pursue monetary damages under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) after settling the complaint under IDEA. Justice Neil Gorsuch remarked that the “case ‘holds consequences not just for Mr. Perez but for a great many children with disabilities and their parents.’” This ruling has established, unequivocally, that disabled children have the right to a proper education and the means to restitution if that right is denied.