Lawsuit claims Henderson teacher assaulted special needs student
Summary
Parents of a nonverbal student with autism and Down syndrome have filed a lawsuit alleging their son was physically and verbally assaulted by a teacher at Basic Academy of International Studies in Henderson.
Filed Oct. 28, 2025, by the law firm Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team on behalf of Arcella Luis-Marcial and Jaime Rodriquez, the complaint identifies the student as G.R. and names teacher Christen Whitney as the alleged assailant. The suit says the incident occurred on or about 30 October 2023, when G.R. scratched Whitney’s arm. Two teacher’s aides reportedly saw Whitney grab G.R. by the arms and shove him to the ground, leaving bruises and other injuries.
The complaint also alleges later verbal abuse while taking G.R. to the restroom after he soiled himself, and that Whitney slammed the student’s backpack onto the floor and screamed obscenities before an aide intervened. The family says the school district failed to properly investigate or promptly notify parents, and that Whitney was not disciplined; the teacher later separated from the district in February. The suit seeks a jury trial and $75,000 in general damages plus $75,000 in special damages. The district declined to comment on pending litigation.
Key Points
- Parents of a nonverbal student with autism and Down syndrome have sued the Clark County School District alleging assault by a teacher.
- The alleged incident took place around 30 October 2023 at Basic Academy of International Studies; two aides are said to have witnessed the teacher grab and shove the student.
- The complaint alleges further verbal abuse and the teacher slamming the student’s backpack in a restroom incident related to soiling, a disability-related issue.
- The family claims the district failed to adequately investigate or promptly notify them, and that the teacher was not disciplined before later separating from CCSD.
- The suit requests a jury trial and seeks $150,000 in combined general and special damages.
Context and Relevance
This case sits at the intersection of special-education care, staff conduct, and district accountability. Allegations of physical or verbal abuse of vulnerable pupils raise legal and regulatory questions for school districts, including investigation procedures, mandatory reporting, staff training and monitoring, and how disabilities-related incidents are handled and communicated to families.
Locally, the story follows other recent suits alleging mistreatment in CCSD special-education settings, making it relevant to parents, educators, policymakers and anyone tracking school oversight and safeguarding practices.
Why should I read this?
Quick version: this isn’t just another school dispute. It’s about whether a vulnerable young person was harmed and if the system meant to protect them acted properly. If you care about how schools look after kids with disabilities, whether staff are held to account, or how districts investigate complaints, this matters — and the legal fallout could change local policies.