A former Connecticut high school student is suing her teachers for letting her graduate while she was unable to read or write due to her learning disability.
Aleysha Ortiz, 19, is seeking $3 million in damages from staff at Hartford Public Schools district for alleged bullying, harassment and/or negligence.
Ortiz claims she requested educational resources and support for years – but her special education teacher instead chose to yell at and humiliate her in front of other students, often bringing her to tears.
The teenager graduated unable to read or write. She struggled to even spell her own name during an emotional interview about her education with ABC affiliate WTNH.
‘My time in Hartford Public Schools was a time that I don’t wish upon anyone,’ Ortiz told the outlet.
When Ortiz moved from Puerto Rico to Connecticut in first grade, she struggled with a language barrier compounded by a speech impediment, dyslexia, and ADHD.
‘Every first day of school, I would tell the teacher I cannot read and write so please be patient for me, so everyone knew,’ she told WTNH.
‘I would cry knowing the people who had big titles knew this was happening, and no one stepped up to do something about it.’
Hellbound and Down 