It is not unusual to hear stories about students - with and without disabilities - being bullied or victimized by other forms of physical or psychological abuse. Our firm was responsible for T.K. v. New York City Department of Education, (2nd Cir. 1/20/16), a landmark federal decision concerning bullying and the school district’s obligations to address bullying when it is brought to its attention.

In July 2015, our firm won a significant federal jury trial in New Haven, Connecticut, where the core issue was whether or not a paraprofessional aide working in a public elementary school had sexually abused a 12-year-old student with Down Syndrome. After a two week trial, the jury accepted the account given by the student. The jury rejected the testimony of more than a half dozen school district witnesses who had challenged or outright dismissed the student’s allegations. We believe that every child has the right to be heard.