K.L. v. Board of Directors, Missouri State High School Activities Association

Filing 90

OPINION MEMORANDUM AND ORDER - IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiffs Motion for Preliminary Injunction, [Doc. No. 61 ], is DENIED. Signed by District Judge Henry Edward Autrey on 4/8/16. (KJS)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION
K. L., by and through her next friend,
JIM LADLIE,
Plaintiff,
vs.
MISSOURI STATE HIGH SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION, BOARD OF
DIRECTORS,
Defendant.

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OPINION, MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
On the 26th day of February, 2016, evidentiary hearing was held before this
Court on Plaintiff s Motion for Preliminary Injunction, [Doc. No. 61]. Also
pending before the Court are Defendants' Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Amended
Complaint [Doc. No. 52] and Plaintiff's Motion to Alter or Amend this Court's
previous Order and Judgment Granting Defendant's Motion to Dismiss [Doc. No.
46]. The Court now makes the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of
Law.
Facts and Background
Plaintiff is a student at Troy-Buchanan High School ("TBHS") in Troy,
Missouri, within the Eastern District of Missouri. The named "Defendant" in
the caption and opening paragraph of Plaintiff s Amended Complaint is the
"Board of Directors" of the Missouri State High School Activities

Association (hereinafter referred to as "MSHSAA" or "the Association"). 1
According to her Amended Complaint, Plaintiff was born with a venous
malformation involving her left leg, known as "Bockenheimer's
Syndrome" and underwent surgical removal of her left leg above the knee in
2011. The evidence showed that the Plaintiff is an athlete who is active in
extensive racing chair athletics, sled hockey and triathlon competition
including use of her racing chair outside of her school with opportunities to
compete and display her talent in regional and national competitions with
para-athletes from other states. Plaintiff testified that she is returning for her
fourth year as a member of the TBHS track team and uses a racing chair in
1OOm, 200m and 400m racing. Plaintiff described her racing chair as 4-5
feet long with three wheels. Plaintiff alleges that on average there is a "tensecond difference" in her 1OOm and 200m racing times but "no time
difference" in her 400m race times compared to the performance of non-

1

MSHSAA is an unincorporated voluntary association of Missouri junior

and senior high schools, State Ex Rel Blasé v. Richardson, 242 SW3d 469, 470472 (Mo. App. S.D. 2008). Plaintiff has elected to not sue the Association, but
sues only the MSHSAA Board of Directors who are before this Court in their
official capacities.

disabled runners. It was undisputed by Plaintiff that in head-to-head
competition between non- disabled runners and para-athletes using racing
chairs, the non-disabled runners have undisputed advantage in shorter
distances while the advantage shifts in favor of para-athletes using racing
chairs at longer distances, which makes head to head competition inequitable
and unfair and no evidence was presented to this Court that there is any
recognized method to make such head to head competition equitable and
fair. Plaintiff does not request to race athletes without disabilities in
head-to-head competition in her Amended Complaint. As stated in her
Motion for Preliminary Injunction, "Plaintiff does not request
accommodations requiring her to race directly against able-bodied
racers..." While Plaintiff requests an Order of this Court to receive team
points when she competes, she testified that she also "would rather race
against disabled athletes and get a chance to win" or "by myself."2
The hearing testimony and Affidavit of Harvey Richards demonstrate
significant efforts by Defendants to develop future Track and Field
opportunities for Missouri high school students with Adaptive Events for
para-athletes:
2

Accordingly, Plaintiff does not seek modifications for integrated head to head
competition with non-disabled athletes. She seeks segregated competition by
herself or with para-athletes only, but she seeks integrated scoring of points
against teams without para-athletes.

A.

MSHSAA launched an initiative in 2014 to consider future
creation of new District, Sectional and State Series Championship
events for the Javelin and Adaptive events for para-athletes in
Track and Field. Under this initiative, the Association began
monitoring the number of participants and the number of schools
involved with Javelin and Adaptive Track and Field events
including the 100m dash, 400m dash and shot put during the 20142015 regular season for a two-year trial period while considering
the feasibility, By-Law changes and multiple procedures and
requirements for conducting a future statewide District,
Sectional and Championship Series for Adaptive events for paraathletes in Track and Field.

B.

This process formally began with a unanimous recommendation
by the MSHSAA Track and Field Advisory Committee to the
MSHSAA Board of Directors on June 10, 2014, which was
approved by the Board. On December 3, 2014, the Board of
Directors approved this topic for discussion with member schools
during the Annual Area Meetings in all eight geographical board
districts during January, 2015. Following these Area Meetings,
the Board of Directors approved their Annual Member School
Questionnaire to identify the number of students and schools who
may be interested in new Javelin and Adaptive events for paraathletes at MSHSAA District, Sectional and State Track and
Field Championships.

C.

On February 25, 2015, MSHSAA Associate Executive Director
Harvey Richards released a Power Point presentation to all
member schools about the new initiative with Adaptive events for
para-athletes with links to resources to identify, equip and coach
students in Adaptive events for para-athletes.

D.

At its regularly scheduled meeting on March 11, 2015, the
MSHSAA Board of Directors directed the staff to continue in the
current direction to introduce new Adaptive Track and Field
events to member schools of the Association consistent with
established past practices for adding events to the Track and Field
District, Sectional and Championship Series. The Board adopted
a further resolution inviting Troy-Buchanan High School and

other interested parties to present additional comment on this subject
at the next regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting to be held
April 10, 2015.
E.

The Javelin and Adaptive events for para-athletes initiative
launched by this Association returned to the MSHSAA Track and
Field Advisory Committee for further discussion and action at its
annual meeting on June 9, 2015. The Advisory Committee
recommended the addition of "exhibition" events for the Javelin and
Adaptive events for para-athletes, including 100, 200, 400, 800,
1600, 3200, shot put, discus and javelin at the 2016 State Track and
Field Championships to be reviewed at the next Advisory
Committee meeting for possible inclusion in the 2017 State Track
and Field Championships. Competitors for these first ever
"exhibition" events will be invited under performance criteria
determined by the Advisory Committee and will be recognized with
recorded places, medals and marks, but no team points will be
scored or awarded in these "exhibitions" for either the Javelin or
Adaptive events for para-athletes.

F.

In September and October of 2015, MSHSAA Associate Executive
Director Harvey Richards organized and conducted five (5) regional
seminars across Missouri regarding para-athlete events for Track
and Field at Holt, Columbia, Perryville, Springfield and Lee's
Summit, Missouri. Topics included how to identify a para-athlete in
schools, facilities and equipment needed, available resources and
coach training.

G.

Approximately 25,000 students currently participate in MSHSAA
Senior High Track and Field competition. Of this number,
approximately 6,000 students (24%), including alternates for relays,
advance to participation at the final site Championships in Jefferson
City, Missouri.

H.

Troy Buchanan High School is a current member of the Association
and competes in Class 5 Track and Field District, Sectional and
Championship meets on the same weekends as Class 3 and 4. The
2015-16 regular Track and Field season for Troy-Buchanan High
School begins with its first track meet on March 26, 2016. Students
from Troy Buchanan High School will also compete in the 2015-16
Class 5 Track and Field District Meet on May 14, 2016; Sectional

Meet on May 21, 2016; and Championship at the final site in
Jefferson City, Missouri on May 27-28, 2016. For this year, the
corresponding Class 1 - 2 Districts will be held on May 7, 2016;
Sectionals on May 14, 2016; and Championships at the final site in
Jefferson City, Missouri on May 20-21, 2016.
I.

For the 2015-2016 School Year, MSHSAA has 502 schools
registered for Boys Track with 488 teams currently registered for
District competition as follows. MSHSAA has 506 schools registered
for Girls Track with 492 teams registered for District competition as
follows:

Boys Track and Field

Girls Track and Field

Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Class 5

Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
Class 5

138
94
94
91
66
488

139
99
94
96
64
492

J.

During the 2014-15 Track and Field regular season, MSHSAA
identified only three (3) students statewide participating in Adaptive
events for para-athletes at member schools, including the Plaintiff
(Troy High School/Class 5), a male student (Ruskin High School/Class
5) and a male student (Centralia High School/Class 3). Accordingly,
during the previous school year, Plaintiff was the only female
student in the entire state of Missouri seeking participation in
adaptive Track and Field events for para-athletes using racing
chairs.3

K.

For the 2015-16 Track and Field regular season, MSHSAA has been
able to identify to date only seven (7) students statewide seeking
participation in Adaptive events for para-athletes at member schools,
including Plaintiff (Troy High School/Class 5), a female student
(Hazelwood Central/Class 5), a female student (Lutheran S outh/
Class 4), a female student (Perryville/Class 4), a male student
(Ruskin High School/Class 5), a male student (Blue Springs/Class 5)
and a male student (Centralia High School/Class 3). Accordingly,
during the current school year, Plaintiff is one of only four female
students for the entire state of Missouri seeking participation in new
adaptive Track and Field events for para-athletes, and she is one of
only two female students attending a Class 5 school.

L.

In order to establish a credible and fair statewide championships for
Adaptive Track and Field events for 25,000 students and over 500
member schools, students with disabilities desiring participation have
to be identified and properly prepared to compete, together with
numerous and complex issues to discuss and implement statewide with
MSHSAA member schools such as coaching education, events,
equipment, facilities, competition classification, separate divisions,
scoring, advancement, individual and team championships, state
records, meet management, etc. This takes time and considerable
effort of school administrators to do right statewide.
__________________
3 Plaintiff also testified that she knew of no other female high school student
in Missouri using a racing chair for school track in her first three years of
high school. Plaintiff s father and Athletic Director, Jason Smith, concurred.

M.

This necessary, neutral and orderly process MSHSAA has
commenced for Adaptive events for para-athletes is the same process
followed in the past for adding Girls' pole vault and the same process
MSHSAA is currently in to consider adding Javelin competition in
District, Sectional and State Track and Field Championships. This
process is also parallel to other MSHSAA Procedures for Initiating
Emerging and Provisional Interscholastic Activities to attain full
status as a MSHSAA Interscholastic Activity under By-Law 5.2.1.c.
with full services (including a State Series); i.e., "Registration of 50
or more schools representing at least 3 Board Districts for a second
consecutive year and upon passage of the necessary By Laws to fully
integrate the activity into the interscholastic offerings by the
membership." (MSHSAA 2015-16 Handbook). Application of such
neutral and orderly practices for adding new events for students is
essential to properly develop and administer high school District,
Sectional and State Championships.

N.

While MSHSAA has been closely monitoring these new Adaptive
events for para-athletes, MSHSAA member schools have been free to
add other Adaptive events for para-athletes to their regular season
competitions. While MSHSAA recommended that regular season
competition in the Javelin and new Adaptive events for para-athletes
be conducted as non- scoring "exhibitions" during the two-year
period of evaluation and development, how these events are scored
during the regular season was up to the host school with implied
consent from all participating schools. MSHSAA does not mandate to
member schools which sports or athletic events they must provide
for their students during the regular season. That is a local school
decision. In fact, there are many "non traditional" track and field
events conducted by schools during the regular season which are not
conducted at the MSHSAA District, Sectional and State
Championships such as shuttle hurdle relay, shot relay, discuss relay,
high jump relay, sprint medley relay and distance medley relay.

0.

The explicit power of the Defendant Board of Directors to organize,
direct and administer contests under the MSHSAA Constitution is
limited to "such preliminary tournaments, meets or games as
necessary to select teams or individuals qualified to compete in state
contests" [MSHSAA Handbook].

P.

A summary of reasonable accommodations previously granted to
students with disabilities at MSHSAA member schools from August
8, 2012 to February 7, 2015, was received in evidence. These
accommodations included relief for cross country and track and field
in head to head competition with non-disabled student athletes such
as a prosthetic blade for amputee, insulin pumps and fanny packs
for diabetic supplies, head covering for alopecia, shadower for
autism, guide runner for visually impaired, cold weather ski mask for
urticaria and a face mask for severe allergies, among others. This
evidence shows that MSHSAA has been responsive to requests for
accommodations when reasonable.
Preliminary Injunction Standard

The applicable standard of review for whether a preliminary injunction should
issue were clarified in Dataphase Systems, Inc. v. C L Systems, Inc., 640 F.2d 109
(8th Cir. 1981). A district court must consider four factors: (1) the threat of
irreparable harm to the movant; (2) the state of balance between this harm and
the injury that granting the injunction will inflict on other parties litigant; (3) the
probability that movant will succeed on the merits; and (4) the public interest, Id.,
at 114. In balancing the equities, "no single factor is determinative" and "if the
chance of irreparable injury to the movant should relief be denied is outweighed
by the likely injury to other parties litigant should the injunction be granted, the
moving party faces a heavy burden of demonstrating that he is likely to prevail on
the merits," Id., at 113.
A preliminary injunction is an extraordinary remedy, and the moving party
bears the burden of proof, Watkins, Inc. v. Lewis, 346 F.3d 841, 844 (8th Cir.
2003). At base, the analysis of these four factors is to be flexible and pragmatic,

but the question is whether the balance of equities so favors the movant that
justice requires the court to intervene to preserve the status quo until the merits
are determined, Id. at 113.Plaintiff admits that if a preliminary injunction
would grant the movant "substantially the same relief that the movant would
obtain after a trial on the merits, the movant bears a very heavy burden" citing
Sanborn Mfg. Co. Inc. v. Campbell Hausfeld/Scott Fetzer Company, 997 F.2d
484, 489-490 (8th Cir. 1993) [Plaintiff s Motion for Preliminary Injunction
ECF No. 61, para. 20]. It is Plaintiff’s burden on a Request for Preliminary
Injunction--not Defendants' --to prove all necessary elements, including, but not
limited to, showing probability of success on the merits, that her requested
modifications are reasonable and that Defendants are discriminating unlawfully
under either Section 504 or the ADA.
Plaintiff testified that her inability to earn team points "sometimes"
makes her feel that she is "not a part of the team" and "excluded." However,
in her pending Motion for Preliminary Injunction, Plaintiff alleges that she
has participated on the Track and Field team of her high school "throughout
her high school career," that she is "an outstanding athlete" and that she is
held "to the same standards required of her teammates." While Plaintiff
described applause for her as "pity clapping," this Court heard persuasive
testimony from Plaintiff, her father and the Athletic Director of her school

that Plaintiff actually participates in an environment of inclusion, respect,
great support and admiration from her teammates, all coaches, opposing
teams and spectators. Plaintiff testified that she received a lot of "positive
reaction actually" from "other teammates and from other schools" while
racing in an open lane beside "able-bodied peers" and that she was not
aware of any "negative feedback." Plaintiff further testified that her track
coach came to a sled hockey game to "support" her and "cheer" for her.
Plaintiff’s father described his daughter as "tough" and as a "happy kid"
with “confidence grown" during her last four years with the TBHS track team.
Plaintiff testified that there was only one time, in her 2013 freshman year, that a
school rescinded its consent to conduct an event for her at a track meet hosted by
the school citing a "safety issue." Plaintiff testified that this never happened again.
A preliminary injunction to address one isolated incident in 2013 or one school
delay in 2014 over concern with running late into darkness that is neither ongoing
nor recurring is not a suitable basis to exercise the injunctive power of this Court.
The Plaintiff alleges in her Amended Complaint that she desires to attend
a college that offers scholarship opportunities to para-athletes and that Defendants
are allegedly interfering with her "opportunity to vie for athletic scholarships."
Courts are generally in accord with State Ex Rel Missouri State High School
Activities Association v. Schoenlaub, 507 SW2d 354 (Mo. Sup. Ct. En Banc

1974), that the speculative possibility of obtaining a college athletic scholarship is
not a protected property right justifying judicial intervention.4 Plaintiff adduced

4Fla. High School Athletic Assn. v. Melbourne Central Catholic High School,
867 So.2d 1281, 1288 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004), "the possibility of a scholarship is
not a protectable property interest" followed by Seminole County School Board
v. Downey, et al., 59 So. 3d 1156 (Fla.App. 5th Dist. 2011); Jordan ex rel.
Edwards v. O'Fallon Two. High Sch. Dist. No. 203 Bd. of Educ., 302 Ill.App. 3d
1070, 706 N.E.2d 137 (1999), student had no protected interest in athletic
participation, notwithstanding his potential ability to obtain college athletic
scholarship; Kulovitz v. Illinois High School Association, 462 F. Supp. 875
(N.D. Ill. 1978), student had no Constitutionally protected property right in
interscholastic athletics for the chance of obtaining college athletic scholarship;
Kriss v. Brown, 390 N.E .2d 193 (Ind. Ct. App. 1979), student's scholarship
potential not a basis for excusing student from operation of IHSAA rules;
Marino v. Waters, 220 So. 2d 802 (La. App. 1 Cir., 1969), speculative chance
of receiving a college athletic scholar ship was not a property right that would
justify interference in LHSAA affairs; Sanders v. LHSAA, 242 So. 2d 19, La.
App. 3 Cir. (1970), possibility of obtaining a college scholarship was not a
pecuniary right which would justify interference in internal affairs of a private
association; Menard v. LHSAA, 30 So. 3d 790 (La. App. 1 Cir. 2009)
Writ Denied; 31 So.3d 370 (La. 2010); the possibility of obtaining a college
scholarship was not a property interest that would give him a claim his property
had been denied without Due Process of law; Mississippi High School Activities
Association v. Farris, 501 So.2d 393 (1987), neither students' expectations of
college baseball scholar ships, nor their interest in participating in
interscholastic athletics created a recognized property interest protected by Due
Process; Arendas v. North Carolina High School Athletic Association, 718
SE2d 198 (N.C. App. 2011), Plaintiffs' allegations of lost reputation,
scholarships, job opportunities and college prospects too hypothetical and
conjectural to invoke subject matter jurisdiction of court to

no evidence that any actions of the Defendants are, in fact, interfering with any

college scholarship and Plaintiff's counsel have cited no case law to the contrary.
However, this Court notes that Plaintiff is active in extensive racing chair, sled
hockey and triathlon competition outside of her school with significant
opportunities to compete and display her talent for athletic scholarship
consideration in regional and national competitions with para-athletes from other
states. The evidence also revealed that Plaintiff has been accepted to four Missouri
colleges and is not waiting to hear from any others. She has received academic
scholarship offers from two of these colleges. Plaintiff testified that the only college
she knows with a racing chair track program is Arizona University, but she has not
applied there. Plaintiff has benefited from substantial MSHSAA efforts to expand
______________________________________
review claims of “arbitrary and capricious” action by NCHHAA; Oklahoma High
School Activities Association v. Bray, 321 F.2d 269 (10th Cir 1963) no Federal
jurisdiction to intervene on behalf of Plaintiff’s desire to exhibit football skills
during senior year for potential college athletic scholarship; Adamek v.
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Ass'n, Inc., 57 Pa. Cmwth. Ct. 261, 426
A2d 1206 (1981), no property interest in participation or the possibility of
scholarships; Blue v. University Interscholastic League, 503 F. Supp. 1030 (N.D.
1980), participation in UIL football playoffs and potential college football
scholarships are not liberties or property rights protected by Due Process.

opportunities for para-athletes, including Plaintiff, who will be eligible to appear in a

first ever special "exhibition" events for para-athletes at the 2016 MSHSAA Track
and Field Championships, including: l00m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1600m, 3200m,
shot put, discus and javelin, where individual places and marks will be recorded and
medals awarded. Plaintiff testified that she was willing to participate in this
special exhibition to "help get the word out". Plaintiff admits in her Motion for
Preliminary Injunction that, "To establish the 'threat of irreparable harm,' the
movant 'must show that the harm is certain and great and of such imminence that
there is a clear and present need for equitable relief."' Plaintiff’s evidence does not
show harm to Plaintiff that is "so great and of such imminence," to show a "clear
and present need" for equitable relief. Any harm to Plaintiff is speculative and does
not outweigh the harm to Defendants and others caused by the granting of a
Preliminary Injunction for the following reasons.
The granting of a Preliminary Injunction will inflict greater harm to
MSHSAA, its member schools and other students, including:

Plaintiff would be afforded unequal and preferential treatment over
other students with or without disabilities who are awaiting the same
MSHSAA process for the opportunity to participate in the Javelin at
MSHSAA District, Sectional and State Championships;
Plaintiff would be afforded unequal and preferential treatment over
other students with or without disabilities who are participating in
Emerging Activities with no current access to MSHSAA District,
Sectional and State Championships;
Plaintiff would be afforded unequal and preferential treatment over
other students with or without disabilities who are participating in
nontraditional track and field events at their school during the regular

season with no current access to MSHSAA District, Sectional and State
Track Championship competition in events such as shuttle hurdle
relay, shot relay, discuss relay, high jump relay, sprint medley relay
and distance medley relay (See Hearing Exhibit R, Affidavit of Harvey
Richards Regarding Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction, para.
21);
Plaintiff and her team would be afforded unequal and preferential
treatment against teams without para-athletes who will have their
accomplishments altered by an unfair and inequitable distribution of
points they have no chance to earn without para-athletes. Defendants'
evidence included the team rankings for Plaintiff's high school in Girls'
Track and Field for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 State Championship track
meet. If Plaintiff's team had been advantaged with 40 points from four
first place finishes as the only competitor in four (4) events during these
State track meets, her team would have been advantaged over teams
without para-athletes and elevated from 50th to 5th place in 2013, from
23rd to 3rd place in 2014 and from 34th to 6th place in 2015.
Based on the limited number of students interested in Adaptive events
during the 2015-16 Track and Field season and as only one of two
female para-athletes with racing chairs in a Class 5 school, Plaintiff
and her team would have an unequal and preferential access to
succeed in District and State Championship over approximately 25,000
other Missouri students who will be competing in MSHSAA Track and
Field competition and over 62 other school teams participating in Class
5 Girls Track without such athletes;
Requiring the Association to create new separate or different Track
and Field events for Plaintiff would contravene Official Guidance
from the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil
Rights since December 13, 2013, creating new administrative and financial
burdens, new confusion and uncertainty for the Association and Missouri
public school districts who have relied on this official guidance;
The ability of MSHSAA under necessary and neutral procedures for vetting
future new events for District, Sectional and Championship competition in
Track and Field which are essential to the successful administration of high
school sports in Missouri will be significantly altered and undermined;
Mandatory adoption of Plaintiff s demands to create new District,

Sectional and State Championship competition for Adaptive events,
including creation of new operating standards, new qualifying standards,
new point scoring against teams without para-athletes, and new meet
management requirements would fundamentally alter the MSHSAA Track
and Field program and impose administrative burdens to implement and
could not be changed or modified in the future without a Court order;
Defendants and the courts will face increasing litigation demanding
Defendants to create, oversee and administer multiple new Adaptive
athletic events for students across the full continuum of physical, visual
and cognitive disabilities with substantially different rules and procedures,
contrary to the official OCR guidance of the US Department of
Education, Section 504 and the ADA; and
That if any preliminary injunction issued by this Court is later dissolved,
reversed or rescinded, administrative problems of significant magnitude to
dissolve, reverse or rescind the results of actions ordered will affect other
schools and student athletes.
h
Because the remedies, procedures and rights under the ADA are the same

asunder The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, see 42 U.S.C. 12133, and because the
enabling regulations to be implemented by the Attorney General must be
consistent with The Rehabilitation Act, see 42 U.S.C. 12134(b), courts construe
what constitutes "discrimination" and what are "reasonable modifications"
consistent with case law interpreting The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C.
794. See Randolph v. Rogers, 170 F.3d 850 (8th Cir. 1999) citing Gorman v.
Bartch, 152 F.3d 907, 912 (8th Cir. 1998) (citing Allison v. Department of
Corrections, 94 F.3d 494, 497 (8th Cir. 1996)); see also Wooten v. Farmland
Foods, 58 F.3d 382, 385 n. 2 (8th Cir. 1995).
Plaintiff alleges that Defendants excluded Plaintiff from real participation

and denied her benefits of its programs and activities "by refusing to make
reasonable modifications to its track and field program.” Reasonable
accommodations [or modifications] do not require MSHSAA "to lower or
to effect substantial modifications of standards to accommodate a
handicapped person," Pottgen v. Missouri State High School Activities
Association, 40 F3d926 at 930 (8th.Cir.1994) citing Southeastern
Community College v. Davis, 442 U.S. 397, 413 (1979). By definition,
accommodations are not "reasonable" if they impose "undue financial
and administrative burdens" or if they require a "fundamental alteration in
the nature of the program," Pottgen, supra at 930, citing School Bd. of
Nassau County v. Arline, 480 U.S. 273, 287 n. 17 (1987).
Plaintiff's requested modifications would constitute "affirmative
action" relief not cognizable under Section 504, Southwestern
Community College, supra 480 D.S. 273 at 407, 411, or Title II of the
ADA to create new operating standards, new qualifying standards,
new point scoring and new state championship competition for Plaintiff
that does not currently exist. 4 As recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in

4

Also see Anderson v. Univ. of Wis., 841 F2d 737 at 740 (7th. Cir. 1988), where
a law school was not required to allow an alcoholic student another chance to
meet the requisite grade point average; Doherty v. So. College of Optometrv,
659 F.Supp. 662 (W.D. Tenn. 1987), aff d in part, rev'd in part, 682 F2d 570
(6th Cir. 1988), cert. denied 493 U.S. 810 (1989), where an optometry school

Southeastern Community College, equal access under Section 504 does
not mean that a Defendant must effect fundamental alterations to its
programs.
Plaintiff reiterated that she seeks a Court Order to not only earn team
points, but to have those points assessed against teams that don't have any paraathletes in their school or on their team. In Badgett ex rel. Badgett v. Ala. High
Sch. Athletic Ass'n, No. 2:07-CV-00572-KOB, 2007 WL 2461928 (N.D. Ala. May
3, 2007), the plaintiff sued the Alabama High School Athletic Association
("AHSAA''). In similar fashion here, the AHSAA had begun efforts to increase
participation of disabled athletes in sports programs. Similar to Plaintiff here, the
plaintiff in Badgett was a gifted female athlete competing with a racing
wheelchair in track. The District Court found that the AHSAA program included
was not required to waive or vary exam requirements to accommodate a student
with vision impairment; Doe v. NYU, 666 F2d 761, 774-775 (2nd Cir. 1981),
where a medical school was not required to allow another chance to student
whose emotional illness affected her clinical and academic performance; and
Pandazides v. Va. Bd of Edu., 804 F.Supp. 794 (E.D. Va. 1992), where a board
of education not required to waive a professional licensing requirement for
teachers to pass a communications proficiency test involving an applicant
asserting learning disabilities who failed the exam eight (8) times. Also, Yates v.
John Marshall Law Sch., No. 08-C-4127, 2009 WL 1309516, at *6 (N.D. Ill.
May 11, 2009) (holding law school not required to lower admissions standards
to accommodate applicant's disability); Jackson v. Nw. Univ. Sch. of Law, No.
10-C-1986, 2010 WL 5174389, at *2 (N.D. Ill. Dec. 15, 2010) ("Neither the
ADA nor the Rehabilitation Act requires a law school to alter its acceptance
standards as an accommodation for a disabled person."); see also Herdman v.
Univ. of Ill., No. 96-c-8025, 1998 WL 774684 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 28, 1998)
(Medical school not required under ADA to lower admission standards to
accommodate disability).

traditional track events requiring "running" races of different lengths and field
events requiring "jumping and throwing." The scoring was based on team points
awarded to place winners according to the order in which competitors finished an
event. Under AHSAA rules, athletes using racing chairs competed in a separate
"wheelchair division." Plaintiff in Badgett objected to competing in a "separate
wheelchair division" and, similar to the Plaintiff here, wanted the points she
earned added to her "team" points in the able-bodied division. In rejecting
plaintiff's request that her points be counted toward her team's total in the ablebodied division, the Court in Badgett reiterated that the AHSAA must be allowed to
take fairness into account in setting the rules for scoring of track and field events,"
Olmstead, supra, 527 U.S. 581 at 605. The Court concluded that such scoring
would “fundamentally alter the nature of the track and field events in the ablebodied divisions," and that "courts generally have concluded that if a requested
accommodation violates the fundamental alteration principle, it is by definition "not
reasonable," PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin, 532 U.S. 661 (2001). In rejecting plaintiff's
request to have her points added to her team's total in the able-bodied division, the
plaintiff was asking the Court to "equate" wheeling with running and jumping
despite the fact that wheeling is a "distinct discipline," citing Bd of Education v.
NJSIAA, supra, 1994 N.J. AGEN LEXIS 1010 at p. 12. ("The 'essential nature' of
racing a wheelchair is different from the 'essential nature' of running. They are
distinctly different athletic activities." 5
5

To support her request for preliminary injunction, Plaintiff argues in her

In McFadden v. Grasmick, 485 F. Supp. 2d 642 (D.Md. 2007), the plaintiff
was described as a highly skilled, world class wheelchair racer who sued the
Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association ("MPSSAA") seeking
federal court relief under Section 504 and the ADA to also have her points
competing against other wheelchair racers added to the team points of her school in
the 2007 Regional and State Track Tournament. 6 In balancing the harm to
Plaintiff against the impact on other students, the District Court recognized the
potential harm to non-disabled students who may have their opportunities
diminished by "unwarranted advantage in the quest for team championships" for
teams with wheelchair racers, 485 F.Supp. 2d at 647. Couched as a "discrimination"
case, the Court in McFadden could not find that plaintiff was being treated "less
favorably on account of her disability." The Court focused on three factors: 1)
the MPSSAA's rule for adding new sports or events to Regional and State
Tournaments was not facially discriminatory; 2) wheelchair racers do not
compete against non-wheelchair racers; and 3) all but a small number of teams are

Memorandum [ECF No. 62, para. 37] that the AHSAA had subsequently
implemented a different scoring policy than the one challenged by the plaintiff in
Badgett. However, the Federal District Court stated that it was aware of this
pending change but stated that the AHSAA was free to utilize "either approach
in the future," Badgett Memorandum Opinion at p. 13.
6

Under the MPSSAA Plan adopted after a Work Group studied and made
recommendations to the Maryland State Board of Education, twelve new
wheelchair racing events (six for girls/six for boys) were added; all racing
would not be separated by class (1A-4A combined); a four-event limit for each
student (similar to the same limit for nondisabled students; and team points for
the competition would not be awarded.

significantly under-represented in the distinct class of wheelchair student
competitions. The McFadden Court agreed with Badgett, supra , that "there are
inherent and relevant differences between the class of wheelers and the class of nonwheelers that education officials are entitled to consider in operating a fair and
equitable system of racing competition designed to identify team rankings." Id. at
650 (citing Badgett, supra). The Court went on to conclude that the request to earn
points towards a team's point total simultaneously accepts that wheelchair athletes
are different and therefore entitled to compete only against other wheelchair
athletes while disavowing the reality of that difference in seeking to have their
points count toward the able-bodied competition. McFadden, 485 F. Supp. 2d at
651. Ultimately, the McFadden Court concluded that it was unlikely the Court
would be persuaded that it is discriminatory under the disability rights statutes for
defendant to maintain a difference in the opportunity of wheelchair racers, in
contrast to non-wheelchair racers, to earn points for teams, where all but a small
number of teams are significantly under-represented in the distinct class of
competitors of which McFadden is the sole member: wheelers," McFadden, 485 F.
Supp. 2d at 651. There is no national consensus on qualifying standards or how
to fairly score these Adaptive Events against teams without para-athletes in racing
chairs. In concluding that the student point scoring requests in both Badgett
and McFadden would be a fundamental program alteration, the Courts in
Badgett and McFadden essentially found that any modification to the rules of
play for any sport which alters the manner in which points are scored would

simultaneously and by definition fundamentally alter the nature of these track
programs. Plaintiff has cited no analogous case law on point under Section 504 or
the ADA supporting the requested modifications to Defendants' point-scoring
system or to have points earned by Plaintiff in separate competition with
wheelchair racers scored against teams without para-athletes who would be
denied the opportunity to equally and fairly compete for the same points. 7
In Lue v. Moore, 43 F.3d 1203 (8th Cir. 1994), the Eighth Circuit rejected
the Section 504 claim of a prison inmate against prison officials for not
providing vocational training suitable for blind inmates. The Court in Lue held
that the Rehabilitation Act "does not require the invention of new programs
designed for handicapped individuals," citing P.C. v. McLaughlin, 913 F.2d 1033
at 1041 (2d Cir. 1990). The Court in Lue also recognized that Section 504 only
ensures "even handed treatment" not "preferential treatment," citing Travnor v.
Turnage, 485 U.S. 535, 548 (1988) and Brennan v. Stewart, 834 F.2d 1248,
1259-60 (5th Cir. 1988). By comparison, in the employment context it is clear that
the ADA does not require an employer to create a new position to accommodate
an employee with a disability, Kotwica v. Rose Packing Co., 637 F.3d 744, 750

7

Plaintiff testified that "sometimes we don't have a mile runner" to score
team points [Hearing Transcript, p. 70]. However, this is a choice to not
enter a runner, not the complete inability to have a runner. School teams
without para-athletes to compete with Plaintiff in a racing chair have no
choice or opportunity to compete for the same points.

(7th Cir. 2011) ("The ADA does not impose an obligation on employers to create a
new position ...for individuals hwith permanent impairments."), following Watson
th

v. Lithonia Lighting, 304 F3d 749, 752 (7

Cir. 2002). Courts have stopped

short of requiring public entities to create new programs under Title II. In
Olmstead v. L.C. ex rel Zimring, 527 U.S. 581 at 603, the Supreme Court
stated, "The State's responsibility, once it provides community based treatment to
qualified persons with disabilities, is not boundless. The reasonablemodifications regulation speaks of 'reasonable modifications' to avoid
discrimination, and allows States to resist modifications that entail a fundamental
alteration of the States' services and programs.
These cases are consistent with official guidance to the National School
Boards Association by the United States Department of Education Office for
Civil Rights in Washington, DC (herein "USDOE/OCR"). On December 16, 2013,
the USDOE/OCR issued official guidance to the National School Boards
Association to clarify its previous "Dear Colleague" letter dated January 25, 2013,
on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and related regulations. This
guidance clarified that "equal access" to existing extracurricular athletic activities
under the law "does not mean… that school districts must create separate or
different activities just for students with disabilities." Moreover, while this
guidance urged school districts to create "additional opportunities for such

students, including separate or different activities from those already provided,"
the DOE/OCR expressed its official view that a school district is not "required
to do so."
MSHSAA Associate Executive Director Harvey Richards met with
Plaintiff s father in Columbia, Missouri on October 29, 2014, and met with
Plaintiff at her high school in Troy, Missouri on November 25, 2014, to make an
individualized inquiry into Plaintiff s interest and requests for Adaptive track
e vents for disabled students. Plaintiff's father testified that Mr. Richards
explained the process for exploring Adaptive events for wheelchair racing, that it
was a "fantastic meeting" and that he "felt pumped" after talking with Richards.
Plaintiff testified that her meeting with Richards was "positive."
Plaintiff and others invited by Plaintiff were afforded the additional
opportunity to be heard and participate in further individualized inquiry on
Plaintiff's request for modifications at the MSHSAA Board of Directors Meeting
on April 10, 2015. The substantial modifications requested by Plaintiff's
representatives at this Board Meeting were adapted from the Louisiana High
School Athletic Association. TBHS Athletic Director Jason Smith acknowledged
how supportive MSHSAA has been in dealing with Plaintiff's situation.
In dismissing Plaintiff s original Complaint, this Court previously
found Plaintiff s requested modifications adapted from the Louisiana High

School Athletic Association "unreasonable as a matter of law" because they
would demand Defendant "materially and fundamentally alter the nature of its
Track and Field program." Plaintiff continues her request for this Court to
consider and order implementation of the Louisiana rules. This Court previously
found that Plaintiff's requested accommodations based on these Louisiana rules
would "materially and fundamentally alter" the nature of the MSHSAA Track
and Field program in that they would require Defendants to create and mandate
statewide (1) six new events for para-athletes, (2) new specifications for racing
chair equipment, (3) a new order of events and safety precautions, (4) new
qualifying time standards to advance para-athletes, (5) new individual meet
scoring system based on participation, (6) new protocol to recognize teams with
para-athletes as "Co-Champions," (7) consolidated state competition between
para-athletes on the same day when MSHSAA finals are currently held on
successive weekends in May and other alterations. While Plaintiff discussed
and attached exhibits describing the Louisiana rules and para-athlete rules from
eight other states in her Memorandum in Support of her Motion for Preliminary
Injunction, Plaintiff's counsel did not offer nor introduce in evidence any of these
exhibits or rules from other states. 8 By her Amended Complaint, Plaintiff seeks

8

The Maryland rules [Plaintiff s Memorandum, Exhibit 7] provide for a
"Consolidated Team Scoring" (CTS) for 8 events in a "single class" for each
gender while MSHSAA currently contests state championships in 5 classes.

Orders of this Court ordering Defendants to immediately (1) implement
modification of the MSHSAA Track and Field program with new court-ordered
"operating standards" for para-athlete racing chair competition adapted from the
"Louisiana High School Athletic Association" or such other operating standards
that the Plaintiff is "open to," and (2) implement new court-ordered "qualifying
standards" for track and field racing chair competitors that do not currently exist to
allow Plaintiff to compete for points for "her track and field team" in "all meets"
sanctioned by Defendants, and (3) afford Plaintiff an opportunity to compete in
new court-ordered racing chair competition which does not currently exist at
MSHSAA District, Sectional and State Track and Field Championship meets
upon meeting said "qualifying standards." By the prayer of her Motion for
Preliminary Injunction, Plaintiff seeks affirmative relief by this Court ordering
Defendants to immediately (1) allow Plaintiff to compete with her team at all

Maryland provides a separate championship based on the CTS instead of the
integrated team scoring Plaintiff seeks. The Wisconsin rules [Plaintiff s
Memorandum, Exhibit 9] do not support Plaintiff s claim where wheelchair
athletes compete in a separate wheelchair division divided by gender in six
events without the integrated team scoring Plaintiff seeks and regular season
competition as "exhibition only." The Ohio rules provide for a separate
wheelchair division without the integrated team scoring Plaintiff seeks and will
not score a solo competitor. The North Carolina rules pertain to "indoor track"
which MSHSAA does not provide and only two events, including a 55m dash
and shot put. The Idaho rules also provide that solo competitor events will be
"exhibition only." Plaintiff s Memorandum also confirms the advantage of
runners over wheelers in shorter distances and the advantage of wheelers over
runners in longer distances, making mixed competition unfair and inequitable.

regular season, district and championship level meets, (2) to implement "a
system" whereby Plaintiff may compete for points and contribute to her team's
point totals and (3) cease alleged conduct and policies which keep Plaintiff from
"competing with non-disabled athletes" on an equal basis. However, Plaintiff
adduced no evidence at the hearing on this matter as to what specific "operating
standards,'' what specific "qualifying standards" and what specific "system"
Plaintiff wants this Court to order. Moreover, on multiple occasions,
Plaintiff’s counsel and Plaintiff's witnesses, in response to direct questions
from the Court as to what they want the Court to do, failed to articulate and
furnish evidentiary support for any such operating standards, qualifying
standards or systems. While Plaintiff disavows head to head competition with
non-disabled athletes, she seeks to have team points she earns in separate
competition assessed against them...a fundamental alteration, Badgett and
McFadden, supra.
By any reasonable definition, such changes in statewide operating
standards, qualifying standards, meet scoring system and events offered by
Defendants in their post-season District, Sectional and State Championships
would constitute a material and fundamental alteration in Defendants' track
and field program and existing services which is not required under Section
504 or the ADA, Pottgen, supra at 930; Southeastern Community College,

supra at 407, 411; Olmstead, supra 527 U.S. at 603; Radaszewski, supra;
Rodriguez, supra at 615-616; Badgett, supra and McFadden, supra at 651.
Simply and succinctly put, such alterations are unreasonable as a matter of
law and, therefore, Plaintiff has not shown a probability of success on the
merits under the ADA or Section 504.
All of Defendants' actions have been supportive and responsive to the
needs and interests of all Missouri student athletes participating in their
programs, consistent with the law and MSHSAA Constitution, By-Laws and
procedures. There is no evidence of discriminatory animus or intent by
Defendants or the Association. Moreover, Plaintiff has not shown any
probability of alleged discrimination against Plaintiff "solely by reason of her
disability'' 29 U.S.C. 794(a) nor "by reason of such disability" 42 U.S.C.
12132(2008).
As stated in U.S. ex rel. Missouri State High School Activities Ass'n, 682
F.2d 147, 152-153 (8th Cir. 1982): "Schools themselves are by far the better
agencies to devise rules and restrictions governing their extracurricular
activities, thus judicial intervention in school policy should always be reduced
to a minimum,” Clayton School District v. Missouri State High

School

Activities Association, Case No.: 4:03cv1634SNL (November 12, 2003).
The overwhelming national case law is in accord with State Ex. Rel. Missouri

State High School Activities Association v. Schoenlaub, 507 SW2d 354 (En
Banc 1974), that except in very limited and recognized exceptions, courts
should not generally intervene and substitute their judgment in the internal
affairs of voluntary high school activity associations like MSHSAA regarding
extracurricular athletics and activities.9 The public interest is not well served by
judicial intervention when a state high school activities association is exerting
exceptional and sustained efforts to create additional opportunities for disabled
athletes in high school track and field.
9 Robinson v. Illinois High School Association, 195 NE2d 38 (Ill. 1963), cert.
denied 379 U.S. 960 reh. denied 380 U.S. 946; State Ex. Rel. Indiana High
School Athletic Association v. Lawrence Circuit Court, 240 Ind. 114, 162 NE2d
250, (Ind. Sup. Ct. 1959); Morrison v. Roberts, 82 P2d 1023 (Okla. Sup. Ct.
1938); Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association v. Cox, 425 SW2d 597,
(Tenn. Sup. Ct. 1968); State ex. rel. West Virginia Secondary School Activities
Commission v. Oakley, 164 SE2d 775, (W. Va. Sup. Ct. 1968); Marino v.
Waters, 220 So.2d 802, (La. Ct. App. 1969); David v. Louisiana High School
Athletic Association, 244 So.2d 292, (La. Ct. App. 1971); Sanders v. Louisiana
High School Athletic Association, 242 So.2d 19 (La. Ct. App. 1970); Watkins v.
Louisiana High School Athletic Association, 301 So.2d 695 (La. Ct. App. 1974);
Chabert v. Louisiana High School Athletic Association, 323 So.2d 774 (La. Sup.
Ct. 1976); Midget v. Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, 505
P2d 175 (Ok. Sup. Ct. 1972); Bruce v. South Carolina High School League, 258
S.C. 546, 189 SE2d 819 (S.C. Sup. Ct. 1972);Harrisburg School District v.
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, 453 Pa. 495, 309 A2d 353
(Pa. Sup. Ct. 1973); Kentucky High School Association v. Hopkins County
Board of Education, 552 SW2d 685 (Ky. Ct. App. 1977); Crandall v. North
Dakota High School Activities Association, 261 NW2d 921 (N.D. Sup.Ct. 1978);

To be subject to the provisions of Title II of the ADA, a named defendant
must be a "public entity," Section 12132, as described in 42 U.S.C. § 12131(1).
While the Missouri Court of Appeals and Missouri Supreme Court have
recognized that the Association is not an "agency" of the State government, Art
Gaines Baseball Camp, Inc. v. Houston, 500 S.W.2d 735, 736-737 (Mo. App.
1973) and State Ex Rel Missouri State High School Activities Association v.
Schoenlaub, 507 SW2d 354, 355 (Mo. Sup. Ct. En Banc 1974), this Court
observes that Plaintiff has elected to sue only the MSHSAA Board of Directors
as the Defendant. The Board of Directors consists of ten (10) members of an

____________________________
Brown v. Wells, 228 Minn. 468, 181 NW2d 708 (Mn. Sup. Ct. 1970); Quimby v.
School District No. 21 of Pinal County, 10 Ariz. App. 69, 455 P2d 1019 (Ariz.
Ct. App. 1969); Scott v. Kilpatrick, 237 So.2d 652 (Ala. Sup. Ct. 1970); Sult v.
Gilbert, 140 Fla 31, 3 So.2d 729 (Fla. Sup. Ct. 1941); State ex. rel. Ohio High
School Athletic Association v. Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, 173 Ohio
St. 239, 181 NE2d 261 (Ohio Sup. Ct. 1962); School District of Waterloo v.
Green, 147 NW2d 854 (Ia. Sup. Ct. 1967); Adamek v. Pennsylvania
Interscholastic Athletic Association, 426 A2d 1206 (Pa. Comm. Ct. 1981);
Walkerv. Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, 463
A.2d 1198 (Pa. Comm. Ct. 1983); Braesch v. DePasquale, 265 NW2d 842 (Neb.
Sup. Ct. 1978); Cooper v. Oregon School Activities Association, 629 P2d 386,
52 Or. App. 425 (Or. App. 1981); Florida High School Activities Association v.
Bradshaw, 369 So.2d 398 Fla. App. 1979); and Smith v. Crim, 240 SE2d 884
(Ga. Sup. Ct. 1977).

Administrator group. This Board is composed of individuals, who are not a
legal "entity" of any kind and certainly cannot be construed as a "public entity"
under the ADA definition above. 10 Accordingly, the current named Defendant
Directors are not a "public entity" for ADA purposes. See Alsbrook v. City of
Maumelle, Arkansas, 184 F.3d 999 at fn 8 (8tl'Cir. 1999), "commissioners may
not be sued in their individual capacities directly under the provisions of Title Il.
Title II provides disabled individuals redress for discrimination by a 'public
entity."'
Contrary to Plaintiff's claim that MSHSAA is a public entity, also see
Hood v. Ill. High Sch. Ass'n. 259 Ill.App.3d 1065 (2d Dist. 2005) (holding IHSA
is not a "local public entity" for purposes of the Local Governmental and
Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act where, despite overwhelmingly
public school membership, private schools play integral part in decision
making); also McPherson v. Mich. High Sch. Athletic Ass'n, 119 F.3d 453 (6th
Cir. 1996) ("The record is far from clear that the Michigan High School Athletic
Association could be properly so characterized as a public entity under Title II.").

10 Plaintiff's reliance on Pottgen v. MSHSAA, 875 F.Supp, 654, 662 (E.D. Mo.
1994) is erroneous legal authority on the public entity and federal financial
assistance issues. Pottgen, 4:49-CV-0591 CAS, was reversed by the 8th Circuit
in Pottgen v. Missouri State High School Activities Association, 40 F3d 926 (8th
Cir. 1994) without deciding either issue, fn. 2 and 5 at 929-930.

Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act does not cover any program or
activity of an organization unless it can be shown that part of its "program or
activity" receives Federal financial assistance, 29 U.S.C. 794(b).
After the decision in Grove City College v. Bell, 465 U.S. 555 (1983),
where the U.S. Supreme Court held that the provisions of Title IX, 20
U.S.C. 1681(a) were subject to "program specific" limitations, Congress
amended The Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 794 in 1988 adding subsections (b)
and (c). In Grove City, students attending a private liberal arts college received
Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOG's) under 20 U.S.C. 1070a.
While the Supreme Court held that the provisions of Title IX were triggered
by the college's receipt of BEOG's to pay for education, the Supreme Court
limited the reach of Title IX to only the financial aid program within the
college instead of the whole institution. Subsequent cases held that Section 504
was likewise "program specific" since the federal financial assistance language
was identical to the language of Title IX. See for example, Jacobson v. Delta
Airlines, Inc., 742 F2d 1202 at 1212 (9th Cir. 1984).
As described in the Affidavit of Harvey Richards, MSHSAA is financed
primarily from gate receipts collected at playoff tournaments. Other income
comes from activity registration fees, registration fees from sports officials,
sales of rule books and other merchandise, royalties from advertisers,

broadcasters and merchandise, membership service fees, interest and other
miscellaneous revenues. MSHSAA Richards testified that when he was a
public school superintendent for five years, no federal funds were used by
his school to pay entry or registration fees to MSHSAA or to defray the cost
of football uniforms or athletic facilities. Plaintiff’s evidence does not show
that any part of MSHSAA programs or activities receives Federal financial
assistance.
It is incumbent upon Plaintiff to show that "the operations" of
MSHSAA, or any part of MSHSAA operations, receive Federal financial
assistance. It is not sufficient to show that some MSHSAA member
schools receive federal funds for other "operations"; there must be some
evidence showing or tending to show that some part of the MSHSAA
"operations" receives Federal financial assistance. Whether such assistance is

described as "direct" or "indirect," there must be shown some assistance to
MSHSAA operations from federal funds not enjoyed by the public generally,
and there was no evidence of that adduced by Plaintiff.
CONCLUSION
As found by the Court in McFadden, supra, this Court also finds from
the testimony and evidence that there are inherent and relevant differences
between racing chair events and running events. It is appropriate for
MSHSAA officials to consider these differences in developing and
operating a fair and equitable state-wide system of competition and point
scoring to determine team rankings where all but a small number of schools
have para-athletes in racing chairs. Plaintiff's school is one of only 4 schools
out of 506 in Missouri with such female competitors currently.
Plaintiff seeks a judicial remedy, but, as much as the Court may be able
to empathize with the personal concern of Plaintiff, there is a distinct limitation
on what this Court can mandate as a matter of law. Any modification to
MSHSAA rules which alters operating standards, qualifying standards,
grouping of students for competition, events offered at MSHSAA District,
Sectional and State Championships or the manner in which points are earned

and scored would simultaneously and by definition fundamentally alter the
nature of the MSHSAA track and field program. Plaintiff does not seek to
"preserve the status quo" but to substantially "change the status quo" by her
Motion for Preliminary Injunction.
Balancing the (1) the lack of threat of irreparable harm to the movant; (2)
the state of balance between this harm and the injury that granting the
injunction will inflict on other parties litigant; (3) the lack of probability
that movant will succeed on the merits; and (4) the public interest, Dataphase,
640 F.2d at 114, does not support the issuance of a Preliminary Injunction. The
Court will deny the request for Preliminary Injunction for the reasons set forth
above.
Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary
Injunction, [Doc. No. 61], is DENIED.
Dated this 8th day of April, 2016.

________________________________
HENRY EDWARD AUTREY
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE