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Eleven families are now suing the school district for alleged mistreatment of special needs students at an Orange County elementary school after a controversial video caught them.
The video, recorded on a student’s tablet during class at Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana, shows a female teacher yelling and mocking young children.
“When I first saw it, I was shocked,” said Alma Moreno, a parent of special needs students at the school. “I was heartbroken. I couldn’t believe it.”
Moreno’s daughter has autism and spends her days in a classroom with other special needs students. Moreno, like other parents, said she trusts school officials to protect her children and provide a safe place to learn. She said she was beyond shocked to learn that was not the case.
“The hardest thing for me is the fact that all the kids are nonverbal,” Moreno told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. “The fact that you can’t ask her. It’s only determined by behavior and how she reacts to certain people. [that I can spot any issues.]”
Moreno said she became concerned when she first noticed the gradual change in her daughter’s behavior.
Video taken on a student’s iPad tablet shows a female teacher yelling and mocking a special needs student at Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana. The image has been blurred to protect the student’s identity. Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana, California. (KTLA) Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana, California. (Google Maps) Video captured by a student’s iPad tablet shows a female teacher yelling and mocking a special needs student at Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana. The image has been blurred to protect the student’s identity. Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana, California. (KTLA) Carver Elementary School in Santa Ana, California. (KTLA)
“Throughout the year, I didn’t understand why she was always yelling at us, ‘Shut up!’ Then she would point to our mouths and say, “Shut up!” very loudly,” Moreno recalled.
Eleven families with special needs children in the same class have filed a lawsuit against the Santa Ana Unified School District, accusing staff of failing to protect vulnerable students.
“I handle a lot of cases involving children, but this may be one of the most disturbing cases I’ve ever seen,” said attorney Eran Zexter, who is representing the family.
Zexter claims the children were neglected, verbally abused, humiliated and traumatized, and believes the school district was aware of the abuse.
A lawsuit alleges that a teenage boy suffered years of racial harassment at a prestigious private school in Southern California.
“What this teacher did was instill in these special needs kids that they needed to be quiet, they needed to be quiet, they needed to shut up,” Zexter said. Ta.
The identity of the teacher in the video has not been released as the woman has not been arrested or charged at this time.
Moreno said she is focused on speaking up for her daughter and hopes her story will help other families struggling with similar issues.
“Don’t be afraid to fight for your child,” Moreno said. “Don’t be afraid. Just talk.”
Parents told KTLA that the teacher in question no longer works at the school, but no further details were provided.
Santa Ana Unified School District responded to KTLA’s request for comment:
“We recognize the seriousness of the allegations made regarding the conduct of one of our employees, which are deeply concerning and contrary to the standards we uphold as a district. Safety and welfare remain our top priority and we are committed to addressing this issue with transparency and accountability.
Although this matter is currently the subject of active litigation and we are limited in what we can share, we will thoroughly investigate the incident and take appropriate steps to ensure accountability and student safety. We want to assure our community that we continue to take steps.
We understand the serious impact this situation has on students, families, and the broader community, and we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and nurturing educational experience for all students. I’m doing my best. SAUSD does not tolerate behavior that compromises student safety and works diligently to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and care. We remain committed to working with our community to address concerns, support affected families, and strengthen trust in our schools. ”
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