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District Sued Over Alleged Abuse in Special Ed
29 Jul
Summary
- Educators allegedly physically abused six students in a special education classroom.
- Parents reported unexplained bruises and behavioral changes in their children.
- Video surveillance captured abusive conduct, leading to educators' arrest.
Parents of children with disabilities have initiated legal action against the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District, citing allegations of physical abuse and mistreatment within a special education classroom at Watts Elementary. The lawsuit, filed in mid-May, claims educators inflicted violence upon six students, including those with autism and Down syndrome, causing injuries.
Families reported that their children began coming home with unexplained bruises in the fall of 2024. Despite raising concerns with the district, the alleged mistreatment continued into the subsequent school year. The suit further asserts that campus leaders failed to provide adequate supervision and protection, ignoring warning signs.
Concerns escalated when a parent requested surveillance cameras in their child's classroom at the start of the 2025-26 school year. The lawsuit alleges that video footage subsequently revealed abusive conduct, even after parents had voiced their worries. This evidence led to the arrest of three educators on December 29, with charges including injury to a child and unlawful restraint.
The district stated that the implicated educators were no longer employed by SCUCISD after officials became aware of the misconduct on December 17. However, parents' lawyers contend that they had alerted the district much earlier, as early as the fall of 2024. The civil lawsuit seeks damages for medical and therapeutic expenses and demands policy changes across the district.
