Suit: School Employee Punched, Kicked, Stomped On Student
CHICAGO (STMW) -- A state child welfare official and a woman who was allegedly assaulted by a school employee while she attended a South Side high school last year are suing the Chicago Board of Education.
Mystery Noble was a 17-year-old student at Wendell Phillips Academy when she was verbally and physically assaulted by a school employee Jan. 17, 2013, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court.
According to the suit, the employee swore at, grabbed, pulled, punched, kicked, body-slammed and stomped on Noble during the incident. The suit does not go into detail about the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack. The employee is also named as a defendant in the suit.
Noble was a ward of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services at the time of the attack, according to the suit, which was co-filed by DCFS Guardian Administrator Debra Dyer-Webster.
The suit claims the school board failed to provide adequate safety measures for Noble, properly supervise the employee or take precautions to prevent the attack.
The suit charges the Chicago Board of Education with willful and wanton conduct and willful and wanton hiring, in addition to charging the employee with willful and wanton conduct and negligence.
CPS spokesman Joel Hood said the school district is "committed" to creating a safe environment for all students.
"Our children's safety is among our highest priorities," Hood said in a statement.
The six-count suit is seeking more than $200,000 in damages, in addition to reimbursement for the medical costs of Noble's injuries.
Representatives for DCFS could not be reached for comment on the suit Friday night.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
