Vasquez v. New York City Department of Education
- Valerie Caproni
- 1:22-cv-03360
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Lisa Vasquez v. New York City Department of Education, Judge Caproni ordered exhibits sealed to protect a minor student’s privacy.
The order affects the minor student J.V., the parties, the court, and the public’s ability to view the sealed exhibits.
What happened
In Lisa Vasquez v. New York City Department of Education, the Department of Education reported that it had mistakenly filed administrative orders without properly removing a minor student’s name, birth date, and education information.
The Department asked the court to seal the status report and attached exhibits because they included information about the student’s disabilities and educational progress. It cited federal court rules and education privacy laws.
Judge Valerie Caproni ordered the clerk to seal the exhibits attached to the January 24, 2023 status report. The exhibits may be viewed only by the parties and the court.
The detailed version
- Vasquez v. New York City Department of Education · No. 1:22-cv-03360
- Valerie Caproni
- Feb. 1, 2023
Background
The New York City Department of Education told the court that it had mistakenly filed a January 24, 2023 status report with unredacted administrative orders. The orders included the name and date of birth of J.V., the minor student on whose behalf Lisa Vasquez brought the action. They also contained personally identifiable information about J.V.’s disabilities and educational progress.
Request to Seal
The Department asked the court to seal the status report and its attached exhibits. It argued that the information was protected by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2(a), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The Department also argued that the privacy interests of the minor student and the confidentiality of the student’s education history outweighed the public’s interest in access to the documents.
Ruling
Judge Valerie Caproni ordered the clerk to seal the exhibits attached to ECF No. 36. The order states that the exhibits will be viewable only by the parties and the court. The provided text does not state any ruling on the underlying dispute between Vasquez and the Department of Education.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.