On May 21st, 2026, Kennedy Hunt P.C. filed a complaint against Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (MICDS), a private educational institution, for disability discrimination in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act.
The lawsuit alleges that MICDS knew our client, a minor student, had disabilities that affected her school experience. Rather than provide effective support, the lawsuit claims MICDS became increasingly punitive toward disability-related conduct and ultimately used a disciplinary incident as a basis to remove her from the school.
According to the complaint, our client was academically successful at MICDS and had received strong grades and honors. The complaint alleges, however, that she also experienced disability-related challenges at school, and that her parents repeatedly advocated for appropriate support.
The lawsuit further alleges that when our client became upset after learning that another student had bullied her friend, MICDS moved quickly toward expulsion and gave her parents less than 24 hours to withdraw her or face expulsion. The complaint alleges MICDS had already decided to remove her without a meaningful investigation.
The lawsuit also alleges that MICDS treated our client more harshly than non-disabled students who had engaged in more serious conduct, including physical altercations and threatening behavior, but were not expelled or similarly disciplined. The complaint further alleges that students involved in bullying were not meaningfully disciplined.
This case is ongoing. For more information, contact attorney Susannah “Susie” Lake at susie@kennedyhuntlaw.com. If you or someone you know has been a victim of discrimination, our skilled attorneys at Kennedy Hunt, P.C. may be able to help you. Fill out a questionnaire so we can understand your claim.