The parents of a Pennsylvania student are suing his school district because they say their son was physically abused by his teacher.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court on February 27, names the Scranton School District as a defendant.

The parents of the student, who was in fifth grade at the time, said a teacher at South Scranton Intermediate School had repeatedly abused their son.

The boy lives with numerous disabilities, including autism, speech and language disorders, ADHD and health problems, the lawsuit says.

On Jan. 2, 2023, the boy was sitting in his chair in class when the teacher approached him and sprayed a liquid substance in his face, the lawsuit says. This was observed by a behavioral therapist assigned to the student, the lawsuit says.

According to the complaint, when the teacher sprayed the student, she said, “That was supposed to wake him up.” She then said, “That helped wake him up before,” suggesting that it was not the first time she had sprayed him.

The next day, the teacher went to the boy on his chair and “intentionally pushed him with her body” so that he fell to the floor, the complaint states.

She then ordered the other students to “forcibly remove the boy from the classroom” by dragging him by his feet into the hallway, the lawsuit says. She is accused of instructing the students to hit the boy while they dragged him.

“Our investigation prior to the complaint has shown that these allegations are untrue and/or false. The school district will vigorously defend itself and its employees,” a school representative said in an email to McClatchy News.

Between August 2021 and January 2023, the boy’s mother met repeatedly with the teacher and school district officials and demanded that her son be transferred to a different grade, the lawsuit says.

This happened after the teacher repeatedly told the mother that she was “not suited for this job,” the complaint states. However, the student was not expelled from the class until January 4, 2023, after the behavior therapist reported the incidents to the school.

The teacher is also accused of verbally abusing the students and calling a special needs student a “big (swear word) forehead,” the lawsuit states.

The teacher was expelled from the school in January 2023 and a police report was filed, the complaint states. However, in the spring, the teacher was able to return and resume work at the school.

The school spokeswoman said the teacher was “sent home” while the incidents were investigated by the school district and outside agencies. She said the investigation found the allegations were unfounded.

The lawsuit demands damages of an unspecified amount.

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