The Orangeburg Consolidated School District 4, and one of their former special needs instructors, is being sued by a father that claims his son was the victim of assault, and was traumatized in more than one instance, as reported by The Times and Democrat.
The father, D.S., said, "It's just been an awful experience". He further claimed that his son's instructor, P.J., is a "loose cannon" and "does not need to be teaching handicapped children."
P.J. was employed by Edisto High School in the Orangeburg school district, OCSD 4, at the time of the alleged assault. He was charged with two counts of unlawful neglect of a child or helpless person at the end of 2009.
P.J., of Elgin, has been accused of allegedly using excessive force to settle a mentally challenged child in a seat that caused the two to fall to the ground, and, in another incident, putting a plastic bag over D.S.'s son while he slept.
School officials maintain that investigators were told that the child was hitting other students, as well as his teachers, when he was forcibly put into a chair.
D.S.'s son is sixteen years old.
During a preliminary hearing - five months after the criminal charges were made - the charges were dismissed.
B.T., the OCSD 4 Superintendent, in response to the lawsuit's filing said, "The suit is filed both against the district, as well as against a former teacher in the district. Because this suit involves matters which are considered confidential under both state and federal law, the district will not at this time comment on the merits of the suit or specifically respond to the factual allegations contained in the complaint.
Now that this matter is being handled through the courts, the district will allow our attorneys to respond in the appropriate manner."
P.J. did not return calls for comment.
D.S. has stated that the lawsuit is not restricted to accusations of assault alone - he is also alleging that there was sexual battery against his child.
D.S. has claimed in the civil complaint that, while his son watched P.J.'s bond hearing on television, the boy used sexually explicit terms. D.S. said, "He saw his picture on TV and he said, 'Bad man.'"
According to the complaint, after this transpired the boy was examined by physicians in which he "made disclosures to these professionals that Defendant (P.J.) forced plaintiff to engage in inappropriate sexual acts."
Superintendent B.T. became superintendent in 2011, two years after the allegations were made.
B.T. added, "As district superintendent, I can say that the safety and supervision of all of our students, particularly those who are the most vulnerable, is of utmost importance to the district.
In that regard, I will continue to work with all of our administrators, teachers and other staff to provide a safe learning environment for students."
If your child has been hurt by the actions of a teacher contact a personal injury lawyer today. Winning your lawsuit can force change and prevent other families from the same types of injury.