Guerra v. West Los Angeles College

In July 2024, a federal judge ordered West Los Angeles College (WLAC), part of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), to restore a transportation assistance system to provide access for two disabled student plaintiffs, Charles Guerra and Karlton Bontrager, to WLAC’s steep, hilly campus by the start of the Fall 2024 semester.

This case has been the subject of nearly eight years of heavily contested litigation, with LACCD denying its responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations to these students. The Court made clear in its order that LACCD can do so no longer, telling them “You have lost!” Read the Order.

The case was filed in September 2016, on behalf of three students with mobility disabilities, Charles Guerra, Chrystal, and Karlton Bontrager. These students struggled to access classes and campus services when WLAC abruptly stopped providing a longstanding on-campus shuttle service that they and other students depended on to safely reach all areas of the campus.

WLAC is located on a hill in Culver City, California with steep, uneven terrain and long distances from the parking on the outer edges of the campus to the main buildings. This makes it difficult for people with physical disabilities to access campus. Without the shuttle service, plaintiffs have experienced extreme hardship, humiliation and physical injuries as WLAC students.

Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald pointed out that “[t]he District chose decades ago to build a beautiful campus on a steep hill. At some point, the District will have to spend money for all students to reconcile that decision with the [Americans with Disabilities] Act.” The order in this case means that Mr. Guerra and Mr. Bontrager will once again have full access to the WLAC campus, and can participate like any other student. It notes, “[t]he District can easily afford that relief for two students. It simply wants to do otherwise.”

In April 2020, the Ninth Circuit found that LACCD had denied students meaningful access to the WLAC campus since the shuttle service ended, reversing an earlier trial court decision and returning the case to the trial court. With the July 2024 order, the trial court directed LACCD “to provide an on-demand system or restoration of the point-to-point shuttle system” for Mr. Guerra and Mr. Bontrager. In court, the judge told LACCD counsel that “there will be something in place by August 26th, or I will hold the District in contempt.” This decision would have also benefitted the third plaintiff, Chrystal, but she passed away during this lawsuit without having been able to complete her educational program due to the lack of access.

Plaintiffs are represented by Disability Rights Advocates, Disability Rights California, and the Law Office of Aaron J. Fischer.