The parent of a student with disabilities has filed a lawsuit against D.C. public schools for its alleged failure to accommodate her daughter in an after-school program.
Keysha Powell’s daughter, identified as S.R. in court documents, is a seven-year-old student with asthma and severe seafood allergies who attends Miner Elementary School in Northeast.
To manage her condition, S.R. needs trained staff to administer her medications, including an inhaler and an EpiPen, to treat a potential asthma attack or an allergic reaction.
The lawsuit alleges D.C. Public Schools, through its own after-school program and the programs it runs through partner organizations, discriminated S.R. by lacking trained staff who could access or administer her medications.
As a result, the complaint said S.R. couldn’t participate in the programs and lost opportunities to learn and interact with other students.
Powell told WTOP her daughter had two episodes where staff weren’t able or capable to respond.
The first was an allergic reaction S.R. had in March of 2023, where she apparently ate some tuna fish served during the after-school program.
“She was tired and laying her head on the table, just like real out of it — not like herself at all,” Powell told WTOP about the incident.
S.R. has an EpiPen, but staff weren’t trained to administer the medication.
The second episode was in March of 2024, when S.R. had an asthma attack.
“When I asked about her medication and why she couldn’t get her inhaler, nobody gave it to her, I was informed that it’s nobody there to give it to her, and also the medication was locked up,” Powell said.
Because the school nurse had left for the day, the office was locked, and no one could gain access to the office and the medication, according to Powell.
Powell said she wants D.C. Public Schools to get trained staff who are able to administer medication.
“I’m pretty sure she’s not the only kid in the school system that deals with this,” Powell said.
In an email response to WTOP, D.C. Public Schools said it couldn’t comment on individual students due to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
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