Parents of Allegedly Abused Students File $10 Million Lawsuit Against Long Beach School District

LONG BEACH, NY - Parents of the Long Beach Middle School students who were allegedly physically and mentally abused by a special education teacher announced on Thursday that they have filed a $10 million federal lawsuit against the school district.

At a press conference, attorneys from Gerstman Schwartz Malito, based in Garden City, announced the lawsuit in the Eastern District of U.S. District Court against teacher Lisa Weitzman, who is currently facing a disciplinary hearing from the district possibly resulting in permanent dismissal or loss of her teaching license.

The attorneys described the alleged abuse performed by Weitzman and two of her teaching assistants, Lauren Schneider and Jean-Marie Lilley against the students, who were between 14 and 18 years old with severe disabilities including Autism and Down Syndrome leaving them all unable to communicate verbally, in what the lawyers described as, "a classroom of horrors."

Among the accusations of abuse include: using zip ties to restrain the students by their wrists and ankles; verbal abuse; forcibly pushing students against the walls; restraining the students using duct tape; spraying lysol and other deodorants on the students; encouraging a male student to masturbate in front of his other classmates; using the bathroom as a timeout room; stomping on the feet of students with her high heels; using drugs during teachers’ lunch breaks; and feeding the students prohibited food items which caused them gastrointestinal symptoms so they would miss school, according to the the lawsuit.

The attorneys also claim that the several district administrators at every level, including Superintendent David Weiss, were aware of the acts for years and acted to "cover up the truth."

District officials previously released a statement stating that the district "complied, and will continue to comply, with all federal and state legal requirements regarding complaints to the District about possible abuse or mistreatment of our students."

On March 4, the school district held a hearing, which Weitzman requested be public, where she claimed her innocence and denied all allegations.

A hearing has been scheduled for Friday, April 29 before state Supreme Court Justice Anthony L. Parga.