The Case Of Ronald G. Sandison And Michigan High School Athletic Association

This case between Ronald G. Sandison and Craig M. Stanley, verse Michigan High School Athletic Association centers around two high school students who believe they are being discriminated against because of their learning disability. Ronald Sandison and Craig Stanley both suffered from learning disabilities and were therefore two grades behind other students their age. Both of these students were placed in a special learning school, but by the time high school came around, they were in normal classes with everyone else. Stanley attended Grosse Pointe North High school and Sandison attended Rochester Adams High School. Sandison and Stanley both ran track and field their first three years of high school but were not allowed to run their senior year due to turning 19 before September 1st, 1994. Sandison and Stanley both attended high schools in Michigan that are members of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) . MHSAA does not allow students who turn 19 before Sept 1 of a current school year to participate in interscholastic

Although these schools were receiving financial assistance, the plaintiffs did not qualify for two out of the four elements under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The plaintiff was not “otherwise qualified” for participation in track and field because of his age. The plaintiff was also not being discriminated solely on his disability but was not allowed to participate because of his age. Even if the plaintiffs did not have a disability then they still would not be able to participate in interscholastic sports because of their age. The MHSAA age restriction is solely based on age and does not discriminate against any disability. Therefore the schools did not violate the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because the ruling had to do with the plaintiff’s age not the