The district said they acted swiftly and the employee no longer works in the district.
The district said they acted swiftly and the employee no longer works in the district.
The district said they acted swiftly and the employee no longer works in the district.
PLANO, Texas — There’s nothing that brings Lestia and Alvin Nelson more joy than watching their daughter, Saniyah, learn.
Saniyah Reese, who is nonverbal and lives with a rare genetic disorder called GRIN syndrome, uses an eye-tracking communication device to express herself and learn. Her parents said she needs care every single day.
That’s why they said what happened in January is heartbreaking.
“It’s heartbreaking, and it angers me,” said Lestia.
Lestia said she noticed Saniyah’s behavior was different when she returned home from school. The Nelsons allege that Saniyah was abused by a caretaker while at a Plano ISD school.
The district addressed the alleged incident in the following statement:
“Plano ISD is aware of the video circulating on social media depicting a classroom incident. The district acted swiftly and took immediate action to ensure accountability. The employee involved is no longer with Plano ISD, and all concerns were immediately reported to the appropriate agencies in accordance with law.
Plano ISD does not tolerate any threats to student safety. We are fully committed to protecting all students, including our most vulnerable learners, by enforcing strict policies and procedures. Since the incident occurred, the campus has been diligently working with the family.
Due to privacy laws and the ongoing nature of this matter, we cannot provide additional details. However, our focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of all students.”
The Nelsons said the district shared a video of the alleged incident, which happened on January 8.
Lestia said her daughter hasn’t been back to the school since. She said she noticed things were off when her daughter came home from school with a diaper rash.
Lestia placed an audio recording device in Saniyah’s backpack. One day, when she came home crying, she listened to the device and heard what she described as the abuse.
“I heard Saniyah crying,” Lestia said. “The teacher injured Saniyah’s neck when she picked her up by her neck. She bent her fingers back.”
Plano Police confirmed they are actively investigating the incident.
“I would also like the teacher to go to jail,” Lestia said. “I would like charges against her.”
“It’s harder to let your child go when you think you’re sending them to a safe environment,” said Alvin.