Office for Civil Rights Finds Violation in Almost Decade-Old Montgomery Public Schools Complaint After Complainant’s Death

Complaint alleged an Alabama school district restrained a student twice. After the complainant died, OCR continued investigating one issue and found a violation with systemic implications.

Aug. 19, 2026, U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a letter of findings involving Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) in Alabama.

The complaint alleged restraint, failure to follow part of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), denial of services, and other forms of disability discrimination.

OCR redacted the complaint’s filing date. However, OCR assigned the complaint Case No. 04-17-1163, placing it in OCR’s 2017 case series. Depending on the exact filing date, it remained unresolved for nine-to-ten years.

By the time OCR issued its findings, the person who filed the complaint had died.

What Happened