FORT WORTH — Three parents of special needs students in Millsap ISD filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday over treatment of their children by the district, its former superintendent and ex-elementary principal and two instructors.
The nine-county suit is based on actions that roiled the community this past spring when a video surfaced showing two special ed instructors physically assaulting and belittling a 10-year-old boy on the autistic spectrum.
Parents Carissa Cornelius, whose child was the target in the videotaped assault, as well as parents Vanessa Garcia and Whitney Price seek unspecified exemplary and punitive damages in the complaint filed in the Fort Worth court.
Cornelius said Thursday the three mothers are not interested in financial outcome from the suit.
“We want to set an example for other school districts to show it’s not acceptable to hide the abuse of children,” she told the Weatherford Democrat. “We are fighting for change. This is about accountability. And I know the other moms feel the same way.”
The suit cites past and future medical expenses, past and future impairment of the three children as well as their past and future mental anguish and physical pain.
The defendants had not replied to the suit by Thursday morning. Court records show summonses were issued for the five defendants, giving them 21 days to respond.
In addition to Millsap ISD, they are former Superintendent Mari Edith “Edie” Martin, former elementary principal Roxie Ann Carter and instructors Paxton Kendal Bean and Jennifer Cain Dale.
Martin resigned in March as school trustees met to discuss terminating her contract. She subsequently was arrested and charged with failure to report/intent to conceal, a state jail felony.
The two instructors also were jailed on a charge of official oppression. Bean also faces a charge of injury to a child with intentional bodily injury, a third degree felony.
Principal Carter, who is Bean’s mother, also resigned in the wake of the conflict.