Second court ruling says suburban district must accept St. Louis student

[proud2BlibKansan]

Students in unaccredited school districts who want to transfer to neighboring districts, without having to pay tuition, have another court ruling on their side.

As lawyers in the Turner case prepare to meet with the judge later this week in advance of trial this fall, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Barbara Wallace has ruled that Webster Groves must admit immediately a girl from St. Louis who sought to enroll in that district's high school.

In her order issued June 22, Wallace said Webster Groves did not successfully make its case that being forced to accept Jordan Danielle King-Willman would violate the Hancock amendment to the Missouri Constitution because it amounts to an unfunded mandate -- an order without accompanying money to carry it out.

Citing several legal precedents, Wallace said, "Webster has the burden to prove an unfunded mandate exists by offering specific evidence of new or increased duties and increased expenses; these elements cannot be established by mere 'common sense,' or 'speculation or conjecture.'"

more . . . http://www.stlbeacon.org/issues-politics/95-Education/111743-second-court-ruling-says-suburban-district-must-accept-student-from-st-louis