The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District says it will take some time to review a human rights decision that found the board discriminated against Todd and Kim Churchill’s deaf son, Carter.
An adjudicator ruled this week that Carter suffered discrimination during the four years he attended Beachy Cove Elementary in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s.
The Churchills’ complaint was heard over three weeks last September in St. John’s, and also sought better supports for deaf children in the school system.
Todd Churchill says the ruling is vindication.
He says it’s rewarding and satisfying that the adjudicator has ruled that his son, Carter, was discriminated against, adding that formal finding will survive in perpetuity and can be used as a precedent for other deaf children.
Churchill says now they can finally start to be a family again and move on with their lives.
He says it’s also a big win for the deaf community.
Churchill says it speaks volumes that the adjudicator made the decision to reinforce that American sign language is important, and on the same level as English or any other world-recognized language.
He hopes that systemically, the deaf community will see positive change.
The ruling also comes with financial compensation to make up for the thousands of dollars the Churchills spent on their complaint over the past several years.