Parents Threaten To Sue Norwalk Schools Over Video Of Student

NORWALK, CT — The parents of a Norwalk Public Schools student have threatened to sue the district after a video of their child was allegedly posted to social media by a teacher. According to the family's attorney, Jeffrey L. Forte, the incident occurred on Jan. 18 at Jefferson Science Magnet School.

Forte said a "statutory notice of claim" and a "preservation of evidence" order were sent to the City Clerk's office by the Shelton-based Forte Law Group on Wednesday.

According to Forte, the notice of claim is required by state law when someone is about to institute a lawsuit against the municipality, which in this case would be the City of Norwalk and the Board of Education, and the preservation of evidence order instructs the city to preserve the video in question.

Forte said he could not comment on whether he had seen the video or its content, as it is still under investigation.

"Regardless of the content of the video, it is against the law for a teacher to record a child in school without express written parental consent of the family," Forte said. "Then to go beyond that and post it online, again without the express written parental consent of the family, is outrageous."

Forte said the video constitutes an invasion of privacy, and that it has caused "extreme anxiety" and "irreparable emotional harm" to the family and the student.

"After our investigation is complete, we will be moving forward with pursuing any and all means necessary," Forte said.

Deputy Corporation Counsel Jeffry Spahr said the city's Legal Department had just received notice of the claim Wednesday afternoon.

"This office is in the process of looking into the matter," Spahr said in an email. "At this point no actual claim has been filed."