There is a lawsuit pending in Georgia that is likely to get some national attention.  The suit runs 176 pages, identifying 23 counts against the Fulton County School District and 28 individuals.  If half of what is alleged is true, the district and some of its employees will be facing serious liability. The teacher is alleged to have used techniques on students with disabilities that stopped just short of waterboarding.  The court noted that the plaintiffs had already settled with the teacher who was allegedly the direct abuser of the child, but the case is proceeding against the others.

What’s this about?

In sum, the Complaint alleges that a FCSD teacher routinely abused special education students, that FCSD and dozens of its employees knew of the abuse, but that FCSD did little to nothing in response for at least three years.

And the principal of the school?

The Complaint, which alleges a multi-year reign of terror by Pickens [the teacher] against her disabled students, and a totally impotent and improper response by Principal Boyd and others, sufficiently alleges “clearly established” violations of the Constitution.

You want to know why our legislature ordered cameras for some of our special education classrooms?  Because of cases like this.

The case is Williams v. Fulton County School District. We found it at 67 IDELR 262 (N.D. Ga. 2016).

DAWG BONE: LET’S KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THOSE SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS.

Tomorrow: Toolbox Tuesday takes a look at revising a BIP!