Nov 19, 2008 7:17 pm US/Pacific
Disabled Father Files Lawsuit Against Folsom High
FOLSOM (CBS13) ―
A disabled Folsom father has sued his daughter's school, alleging that the district has broken the law by failing to provide adequate access to the campus for handicapped people.
Ed Kemper goes everywhere in his wheelchair, including to Folsom High School twice a day, where his daughter is enrolled.
"I'm supposed to have the access equivalent to the general public," Kemper said.
He cites the stairs leading to the front office as a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. "If this isn't accessible, what you're supposed to do is show me signs on where to go," Kemper said.
He has to go nearly 30 yards down the sidewalk to get around the stairs. Kemper also cites a lack of parking for disabled people and excessively sloped ramps in his lawsuit.
He doesn't blame the school administrators for the problems.
"The problem is there's no one with a brain at the school district," Kemper said. "The school district won't even teach them what they're supposed to do."
The district wouldn't comment specifically on the lawsuit, but superintendent Pat Godwin stated that he doubts "there is any school in California that is in full compliance."
"Sometimes the issues are as slight as a sign that is one to two inches above or below what is standard," Godwin said.
Kemper has his share of critics who say he makes a job out of suing people. He has filed 50 suits, 44 of which were settled with the defendants agreeing to make changes and pay Kemper.
Kemper wouldn't say how much he made. He says he used to go after small businesses but has decided to go after government entities now.
He says critics should worry less about the money he's making and more about who's in compliance with the law.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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