On June 16, 2025, Kennedy Hunt P.C. filed a complaint against the Campbell R-II School District, alleging that the school district repeatedly violated the rights of our client, a minor child with disabilities.
According to the lawsuit, in 2019, our client was paddled by the principal of his elementary school. Upon information and belief, he was paddled due to his disability and/or for exhibiting symptoms of his disabilities. The lawsuit states that neither parent gave such permission, either written or oral. Per the lawsuit, the District’s paddling of our client exacerbated his disabilities and caused him to fear and distrust adults, especially those at the school.
The lawsuit further alleges that the School District consistently disciplined our client in situations where non-disabled peers were either not disciplined at all or treated less harshly, despite their involvement in the same incidents.
According to the complaint, classmates routinely manipulated our client and exploited his disability-related difficulties with understanding social cues and the consequences of his actions. The lawsuit states these peers encouraged him to engage in inappropriate behavior, knowing that he would likely comply because of his literal interpretation of instructions and his inability to recognize when those instructions involved misconduct. For example, when these classmates told our client to perform acts that would typically be understood as wrong, such as taking property without permission or touching another student, our client did so because he did not understand that these actions were inappropriate.
Despite the clear role of non-disabled peers in instigating these situations, the lawsuit asserts that the School District repeatedly failed to hold those students accountable. In contrast, our client was subjected to disciplinary measures, including suspensions. The complaint further claims that when the parents raised concerns about the disparate treatment and requested investigations into the conduct of the non-disabled peers, the District escalated the discipline imposed on our client rather than addressing their concerns.
The lawsuit also alleges:
On April 26, 2024, Parents learned that a non-disabled peer sexually harassed [our client], exposed [our client] to sexual content, and prompted [our client] to touch another student. Parents immediately complained to School District in writing. As of the date of this charge, School District has not investigated the allegations.
This case is ongoing.
For more information, contact attorney Michalle Faron at nmatlock@kennedyhuntlaw.com. If you or someone you know has been a victim of disability discrimination, our skilled attorneys at Kennedy Hunt, P.C. may be able to help you. Fill out a questionnaire so we can understand your claim.