ATL Standard

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has reached a settlement with Smarter Kids Child Care in Smyrna, Georgia. The agreement addresses allegations that Smarter Kids violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by denying a child participation in its daycare program due to autism.

“Access to childcare is essential for all parents, including those parents raising children with disabilities,” stated U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Children with disabilities deserve equal opportunities to participate in daycare programs, and my office looks forward to working with Smarter Kids to ensure it meets this critical obligation.”

The ADA's Title III prohibits disability-based discrimination in public accommodations, which includes private childcare facilities like Smarter Kids. As part of the settlement, Smarter Kids will implement a non-discrimination policy aligned with ADA requirements. Employees involved in accommodation requests or enrollment decisions will receive mandatory training.

Smarter Kids agreed to compensate the complainant $7,000 and pay a $1,000 civil penalty to the United States.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Garabadu and Senior Civil Investigator Tamara Jones are managing the case.

For more information, contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. Additional details can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Northern District of Georgia at http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

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