The issue focused specifically on a group of students from three of the four private high schools in the district: St. Mary's, Trinity Catholic High School and St. Thomas, a Catholic private high school for the disabled.

In a lawsuit brought by the Catholic community, which said that it was not aware that the students were students of a school district, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen dismissed the lawsuit.

The district said it plans to appeal. The plaintiffs have 30 days to file an answer