Emma, a twelve-year-old girl was subjected to on-going bullying by her classmates. One day, these classmates jumped Emma and beat her nearly unconscious.
As a result, she experienced paralyzing anxiety about going to school. Unfortunately, the school’s tutoring program took place after school hours but on school grounds. She was repeatedly subjected to her attackers while trying to cram a full school day worth of work into two hour long tutoring sessions. In addition Emma was identified as having anxiety and learning disabilities by the school district due to LANNY’s advocacy.
LASNNY filed both a Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) complaint and a referral to the school district’s Committee on Special Education to have Emma classified as a student with special education needs.
Legal Aid prevailed on both cases. The school classified Emma as a special education student and placed her in a smaller classroom environment where she received the supportive services and accommodations she needed to succeed academically. The school was also forced to take steps to both discipline and monitor her attackers and provide training to its staff.
Emma made an impressive transition back into the classroom environment with the services and accommodations she received. 12 year old Emma is now happy about going to school, making new friends, and improving her grades.