Justice for DoDEA Special Education Student

Joshua is a military child with a disability being denied a free and appropriate education at the US Department of Defense school for military children overseas. While attending Humphreys Middle School on USAG Humphreys, Joshua has been segregated from peers, denied gifted education per the policy, denied appropriate services for special education, speech therapy, counseling, and assistive technology. Overall Joshua has been denied a free and appropriate public education.

He was not even given the required books and materials to participate in his classes for months after the start of school in 2022-2023. Accommodations were taken away from him on a daily basis and the school has refused to help him bridge the gaps they have created with the lack of appropriate instruction. They have refused Joshua an individualized education at every turn. PLEASE help his family with legal fees to hold DoDEA to the law!

There are many other military students with disabilities who are not being provided equal access to an education in DoDEA public schools. The Allen Family is standing up for military students and want this case to shine a light on the truth of what is happening in DoDEA public schools. As a Department of Defense school, Humphreys Middle School provides a public school education to military children living in the Republic of Korea and is subject to the same laws as any other publicly funded United States school. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act applies! They need to be held accountable!

Why Should You Donate?

Donate to help Joshua and his family stand up for all our military-connected students! Their parents fought for our country; it’s time America fights for their families!

How will the funds be used?

Help the Allen Family Today! Funds from this initiative will go solely for legal representation of Joshua Allen and the fight for his civil rights to be met by DoDEA’s Humphreys Middle School.

Joshua Allen is a 7th Grade Student at Humphreys Middle School. He is a military child with a disability and is also exceptionally gifted in math, creative thinking, and spatial awareness. Joshua depends on individualized education, accommodations, and support from specialists and providers to have equal access to an education to one day participate in and contribute to society independently.

The Allen Family has been forced to pursue legal options to protect Joshua from DoDEA's continuous civil rights violations by denying Joshua access to his public education. This is the only option left to guarantee Joshua receives a free and appropriate education. The Allen Family has been fighting for their child’s rights and their parental rights since January of 2020. DoDEA has limitless taxpayer dollars to drag out these proceedings and continue to deny Joshua an appropriate education.

According to the National Defense Authorization Act, the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG Corps) should be providing legal assistance by an attorney trained in special education law at every legal assistance office, providing legal counseling on education subjects, including, but not limited to, document review with respect to individual education plans, even including in-person representation at school interviews or administrative hearings.

As many military families understand, the Allen Family has been abandoned once again as JAG says they are unable to represent Joshua Allen. Despite being an active-duty military family, the school is also part of the Department of Defense and they cannot represent against their own agency. This has left the Allen Family personally responsible to bare the financial burden of hiring an attorney so their child can have a free and appropriate public education. To date, the Allen Family has invested over $35,000 in pursuit of an appropriate education for Joshua represented by the law firm Barger and Gaines. Legal fees are literally increasing by the day as DoDEA continues to refuse any type of mediation or resolution.

The Allen Family is not the only military family alone in this battle. DoDEA counts on the Allen Family moving and never being held accountable to follow the law.

Please donate today, share this campaign, and join us in celebrating the resiliency and determination of our American military families and individuals with disabilities. Support the Allen Family in their fight for a free and appropriate public education for their disabled military child. Our military children deserve better. Our military children deserve to be supported by their school, especially Department of Defense schools, whose sole purpose is to provide free and appropriate public education to military-connected children.

Chasity Allen has created this GoFundMe and will be managing this fund. Due to being stationed at United States Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea, the Allen Family is unable to manage this fund as, GoFundMe stipulates it must be managed within the United States.

Family History:

The Allen Family has been serving the United States Army since 2005 in an Active-Duty capacity.

The Allen Family was assigned to South Korea in December of 2019 to aid in support and stability in the Pacific in response to the evolving threat posed by North Korea. Since arriving at DoDEA schools in January of 2020, Joshua Allen has been denied an individualized education program, denying his rights to a free and appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

SFC Allen has served in 4 combat tour in 3 foreign countries. SFC Allen has been awarded 5 Army Commendation Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, 6 Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medals, 2 Afghan Campaign Medal - Campaign Stars, 2 Iraq Campaign Medal - Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, 3 Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, Army Service Ribbon, 6 Overseas Service Ribbons, NATO Medal, Recruiting Service Badge, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, Driver Mechanic Badge for Driver Wheel Vehicle, various Certificates of Appreciation from duty stations, and the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award in recognition and appreciation community volunteer service at USAG Humphreys.