Sandlin v. Johnson (1981)

Details:

In a second-grade class in which only one student was promoted to the third grade, 22 students of various races and genders sought review from the courts. The plaintiffs claimed that the students could either read at a third-grade level or were delayed because of negligence on the part of the school. They further put forth that the retainment would cause irreparable damage to the students' self-images and delay future employment and well-being. The defendants asserted that while the students were certainly capable of achieving the third-grade reading level, they had not yet done so according the assessments provided by the district, and that promotion before these skills were acquired would be counterproductive and ultimately harmful. The 4th Circuit Court decided in favor of the defendants.