The disturbing allegations outlined in the lawsuit describe a shocking case of abuse and discrimination within the classroom. According to the legal documents filed by the mother of a 7 year old young boy with disabilities, former 2nd grade teacher Julious Johnican not only failed to protect her vulnerable son, but actively encouraged other students to attack him. His disabilities include “sensory sensitivities, an executive function disorder, and probable learning disabilities.”
Over the course of the 2023-2024 school year at George Washington Carver School No. 87 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Johnican allegedly orchestrated multiple incidents where the boy was violently thrown to the ground by his classmates, who proceeded to strike, slap, and repeatedly hit him in the head, as their teacher looked on and has yet to be charged.
According to NY Post, Johnican himself accidentally exposed the abuse during a meeting with the boy’s parents to discuss his conduct.
While trying to show the boy’s parents a video of the “classroom environment,” he accidentally played a video of the alleged abuse itself, per the lawsuit. When the parents tried to grab the phone, Johnican accidentally increased the volume. The parents allegedly realized he had been “encouraging the beating of their disabled seven-year-old,” the suit claims.
The lawsuit also alleges that another teacher allegedly told the boy that students with special needs “were demonically possessed,” and that he needed to be baptized. Johnican allegedly abused the boy for “his own amusement” as a diciplinary measure.
Indiana Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson, the school’s principal Mary Kapcoe, the assistant principal, a substitute teacher and a behavioral consultant are also named in the suit.
