A child abuse scandal in Antioch, CA entered the public scene on Wednesday after parents filed a lawsuit involving several autistic students and an allegedly abusive teacher. According to the lawsuit, the children were repeatedly slapped, pinched, and verbally abused by the instructor. The defendant resigned as a teacher and police investigation has been launched. Today, the school district and former teacher face a civil rights lawsuit for facilitating a hostile environment and violating the students’ civil rights. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco and seeks compensation for physical and psychological damages.
According to the lawsuit, the teacher “repeatedly held (a five year old student) on the ground with her knee and forcibly gouged his face” at the beginning of the school year. Additionally, the suit alleges that the same teacher forced another child to obey her by pinching his nipple. Both children entered the defendant’s class last fall. A short time later, they demonstrated signs of anxiety, aggression, and other behavioral changes. “I was sick of seeing my son upset,” one parent said. When she told the kindergartener that he could change schools, “he leaned in and gave me a kiss and that’s all I needed,” said the mother.
Identify the Warning Signs of Abuse
At The Senators Firm, we are passionate about standing up for the rights of abused children and their families. Children suffering from abuse at school commonly exhibit the following symptoms:
- Sudden behavior changes
- Sudden change in school performance
- Acts passively, overly compliant, or withdrawn
Other indicators of physical abuse include unexplainable bruises & injuries, aggression, and anxiety.