Office for Civil Rights Requires Friendship Aspire Academy Public Charter School (AR) to Address Accessible Parking and Retaliation Concerns
OCR identifies concerns the school was not providing accessible parking at its Pine Bluff Downtown campus and that the principal retaliated after the complainant complained about the parking.
April 21, 2026, U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a letter of findings to Friendship Aspire Academy Public Charter School (FAAPCS), after investigating a disability discrimination complaint involving accessible parking at the FAAPCS Pine Bluff Downtown campus.
OCR investigated two allegations:
“. . . parking for the Friendship Aspire Academy – Pine Bluff Downtown campus is not accessible to individuals with disabilities . . .
“. . . the School retaliated against the Complainant after she complained about the parking.”
OCR said its investigation “raised concerns that the School was not providing accessible parking at the School as required by the 2010 Standards, and that the Principal had retaliated against the Complainant by transferring her to another campus.” Prior to OCR concluding its investigation, FAAPCS expressed an interest in resolving the complaint and OCR “determined that a voluntary resolution is appropriate.”
April 17, 2026, FAAPCS entered into a resolution agreement with OCR.
What Happened
The complainant told OCR that she is mobility-impaired and has a placard showing she is allowed to park in an accessible parking space. She alleged that the principal and the principal’s secretary usually parked in the two accessible parking spaces near the school’s front entrance, even though they did not have disabilities. Because of that, the complainant said she was forced to park farther from the entrance.
According to OCR’s letter of findings, the complainant also told OCR:
“ . . . one time when she was able to park in the accessible space, the Principal told her to move her vehicle because the two spaces were reserved for the Principal and her secretary. The Complainant moved her vehicle to avoid any confrontation with the Principal. The Complainant stated that she later complained to the Superintendent of the school about not being allowed to park in an accessible space.”
After the complainant complained to the superintendent, FAAPCS advised the principal that she and her secretary could not park in the accessible spaces.
