Court Rejects Autistic Student’s Suit Over Corporal Punishment

A federal appeals court has affirmed the dismissal of an autistic student’s suit asserting claims for disability discrimination and violation of her constitutional rights after she allegedly was subjected to corporal punishment at a Louisiana school.

The Jefferson Parish School Board operates Walter Schneckenburger Elementary School that the 11-year-old student, S.B., attended. S.B. sued after a teacher allegedly slapped S.B.'s wrists and scolded her after she kicked at a behavioral technician in her classroom. In another incident months later that also was the basis for S.B.'s complaint, a special needs paraprofessional working with S.B. allegedly grabbed and slapped the top ...