More than 50 demonstrators gathered outside a Long Island school on the first day of class to protest a district decision to bar a student with Down syndrome from attending.
The protesters picketed outside Westhampton Beach Middle School Wednesday morning with lime green shirts and signs chanting, "Integrate, don't segregate," in support of Aiden Killoran, a 12-year-old boy who officials say needs to be bused to another district they say is more equipped to handle special needs students.
Killoran's parents, who have filed a lawsuit against the district in federal court to let their son attend the school, say the district's policy mounts to discrimination and that putting him in a "mainstream" school gives him the best path to success.
"We're not going to relent, and ultimately, we're going to prevail," said Killoran's father, Christian Killoran.
District officials have declined comment to multiple outlets on the decision not to admit the boy, citing the pending litigation. But in documents obtained by Newsday, the district contends the school does not "have an appropriate placement" at Westhampton Beach Middle School for the boy.
"Although plaintiffs clearly wish for their son to be educated within" the district, the documents state, "they do not have the right to dictate the specific location or 'brick and mortar' building" where the child will receive instruction.
It's not clear when Killoran's case will be decided, nor is it known if he'll attend a school outside the district in the meantime.
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The boy was at the protest Monday, sitting in his family's car and wearing a bow tie -- but his parents haven't told him yet that he won't get to go to the first week of classes with his friends and brother.
Still, his parents say they're hopeful Killoran will eventually be able to walk the halls of the school as a student.
"We're not the first family to do this," his dad said. "And we won't be the last."
