School District Settles Lawsuit Over School Supplies Fees

Birmingham Public Schools has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of parents who paid fees for registration, locks and school supplies. 

Parents who paid fees for the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 school year must complete a form and submit it to the school district within 90 days of July 3.

Michigan law says that school districts are responsible for supplying students with necessary supplies.

Mark Wasvary, the attorney who represented the parents in the lawsuit against the school district, declined to comment.

The settlement notice states that the parents in the lawsuit received no compensation other than the school district paying $10,000 for their costs and attorney fees. The district contends it did nothing wrong. Birmingham Public Schools Spokeswoman Marcia Wilkinson said in an email the district no longer charges for any of the things listed in the lawsuit.

The district agreed to abide by the Michigan Department of Education guidelines regarding student fees.

The MDE states that schools may not charge for towels, locks and lockers and must provide pencils, textbooks and periodicals if required for classroom use.

Other districts have also attempted to get parents to pay for some school supplies. 

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See also:

School Districts Cannot Require Parents To Buy School Supplies

Can School Districts Require Parents To Buy Necessary School Supplies?

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