Judge Dismisses Detroit Schools Literacy Lawsuit
DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit focused on the poor reading skills of students at several Detroit schools, including because he concluded there is no right to literacy.
Judge Stephen Murphy III agreed in his 40-page ruling that "when a child who could be taught to read goes untaught, the child suffers a lasting injury — and so does society." But he added it still doesn't follow that literacy is a right.
Murphy's written ruling was posted late Friday in U.S. District Court for eastern Michigan.
The lawsuit filed in 2016 argued the schools are in "slum-like conditions" and "functionally incapable of delivering access to literacy."
It accused Gov. Rick Snyder, the state school board and others of violating the civil rights of low-income students.
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