Student with 3.4 GPA claims school failed to teach him to read, sues for damages
A Tennessee student is taking his high school to court after graduating with a 3.4 GPA but lacking basic reading skills. The student, identified as “William A.”, claims that the Clarksville Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) failed to provide him with the education required to overcome his dyslexia, leaving him unable to read or even spell his name.
Despite his GPA, which typically signifies a solid academic performance, William A. could not read when he graduated from high school. His parents are now suing the school district, arguing that the education provided was inadequate and violated his rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This legal action follows a ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in February 2025, which sided with William A. and upheld a lower court decision.
Court ruling and compensatory education
In the court’s February 2025 ruling, it was found that the school system had not properly addressed William A.’s dyslexia, despite providing an individualized education plan (IEP). The IEP failed to improve his reading ability throughout his middle and high school years. As reported by the WSMV, the judge affirmed that the school system did not provide him with a “free appropriate public education” as required by law.
The lawsuit stems from a complaint filed in August 2023, where William A.’s parents claimed the school system had consistently denied their son the education he needed. As a result, he was awarded 888 hours of compensatory education, which includes dyslexia tutoring sessions. These sessions are designed to address his reading difficulties and are based on the Wilson Reading and Language System, a method known to support dyslexic students.
Using AI to cope with schoolwork
The ruling also highlighted an unusual workaround William A. used during his school years. According to the court, William A. often relied on speech-to-text software to dictate his papers, then used AI tools like ChatGPT to generate content. Finally, he ran the work through grammar-checking software to finalize it. While these tools allowed him to complete assignments, the court emphasized that they simply “did the work for him” and did not teach him the essential reading skills he needed.
As quoted by the WSMV, the court concluded that while William A. had accommodations, they were insufficient and failed to meet his specific educational needs. The decision has sparked further discussions about how schools address the needs of students with learning disabilities.
The Clarksville Montgomery County School System has yet to publicly comment on the ongoing litigation, citing state and federal student privacy laws.
