Pitt, McGhee, Palmer, Bonnani & Rivers Represents Mother whose Autistic Child’s Assault by Bus Aide was Covered Up by Ann Arbor Public Schools
Attorneys: Megan Bonanni and Danielle Canepa
For Jaime Nelson, it's the screams, the blood-curdling screams, of her 7-year-old son that haunt her most, and rack her with guilt, pain — and anger.
The boy, who has autism, was assaulted by an aide on an Ann Arbor school bus — pinned down, smacked and restrained — and his mom wasn't there to protect him as he frantically yelled for help and flailed his arms. Moreover, the mother was kept in the dark about the incident for five weeks, she said, and didn't know exactly what happened to her child until four months later, when a detective showed her a videotape of the incident at the Pittsfield Township police station.
Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Bonnani & Rivers represent Ms. Nelson in her lawsuit, filed in 2023, against AAPS for their role in enabling and concealing her son’s repeated abuse. Shortly after the suit was filed, the school district moved to dismiss the case, on grounds of government immunity. However, on May 8, 2024, U.S. District Judge George Caram Steeh ruled that the evidence was substantial enough to warrant a trial and struck down the motion to dismiss, paving the way toward a trial. The lawsuit alleges disability discrimination, pointing to a disturbing pattern of behavior that targeted students with disabilities.
Megan Bonanni, representing Nelson-Molnar, emphasized the discriminatory actions of the Ann Arbor schools, stating, "The decision to dismiss AAPS’s motion to dismiss and allow our case to proceed corroborates what we already know to be true: AAPS acted discriminatorily in their failure to protect a disabled student from repeated verbal and physical abuse from an AAPS employee. We look forward to further litigating our client’s claim and holding AAPS accountable for their negligence and discrimination."
This case highlights the urgent need for schools to prioritize the safety and dignity of all students, particularly those with disabilities. Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Bonnani & Rivers Law Firm is committed to ensuring that justice is served and that such grievous misconduct is not repeated.
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