A special education teacher is suing the Clark County School District over what she said was a failure to protect her when a student “violently” punched her in the stomach on multiple occasions while she was pregnant.
The lawsuit was filed in District Court on Sunday by Sydne Faith Yanez, a special education teacher at Cambeiro Elementary School, against the Clark County School District. It accuses the school district of violating the Nevada Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and of harassment based on sex and pregnancy. It asks for a jury trial, money damages and relief against further failure to accommodate pregnant workers and any further relief as the court deems proper.
CCSD said that it does not comment on pending litigation.
In August 2023, Yanez told CCSD that her pregnancy had been diagnosed as “high risk,” but that she could perform essential functions. She requested “reasonable accommodations,” the complaint said.
On Aug. 7 of that year, a special education student became “uncontrollably violent” and punched Yanez in the stomach “violently and maliciously” at least 10 times, according to the lawsuit. She notified the principal, and the parents were called, but they refused to pick the student up, the complaint said.
Yanez filed a report with the CCSD police department, according to the lawsuit.
On Aug. 21, the same student punched her in the stomach multiple times, the complaint said.
She requested that the student be removed or that Yanez be reassigned to a workspace where she would not face being assaulted and possible harm to herself and her unborn child, but her requests were denied, according to the lawsuit.
On Sept. 14, a different student “scratched and/or bit” Yanez. She reported it and asked for removal or some accommodation, the complaint said.
The complaint said that CCSD refused all reasonable accommodations Yanez proposed, even after she provided doctor’s notes.
On Oct. 18, the first student punched her in the stomach eight times, the lawsuit said.
The complaint said that a CCSD administrator witnessed it and did nothing. It also said the administrator filed a report that the student had no behavioral problems that day.
“This was false,” the complaint said.
On Oct. 24, the same student urinated on herself and was “destroying the bathroom,” the complaint said. Principal Brandi Pineda and Area Superintendent Robert Solom came and witnessed the student hitting the plaintiff. The student threw toilet water on Solom, who yelled out: “This is disgusting,” the complaint said.
The area superintendent took steps to try to have the student removed, but the parents would not cooperate and the student remained in Yanez’ classroom for the rest of the year, the complaint said.
Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ktfutts on X and @katiefutterman.bsky.social.
