JAMISON, Pa.(KYW Newsradio) — Parents who said their son was abused in a Central Bucks elementary school are now suing the district.
Former Central Bucks school board member James Pepper and his wife, Lisa Pepper, allege their 10-year-old son, who is nonverbal and autistic, was illegally restrained nearly three thousand times in just three months.
They said employees at Jamison Elementary School restricted the boy's access to water and the bathroom, removed his communication device, and "repeatedly humiliated him because of behaviors connected to his disability."
They claim Central Bucks School District officials were aware of reports of misconduct but allowed the employees to remain in the classroom.
The lawsuit accuses the district of delaying reporting the allegations to the state, providing incomplete or misleading information to authorities, and "falsely" telling the child's parents that an internal investigation found no evidence of abuse.
The district said in a statement it "has acknowledged what occurred" in the classroom and implemented "significant changes."
It said it fired the superintendent and moved to fire the teachers as well, although their terminations are still going through an arbitration process.
But the statement adds, "the district understands that none of these actions can change what happened to the students."
The parents say their nonverbal autistic son was illegally restrained thousands of times and denied access to water, the bathroom and his communication device
The parents say their nonverbal autistic son was illegally restrained thousands of times and denied access to water, the bathroom and his communication device
