EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A lawsuit filed against the East Cleveland school district accuses a principal of assaulting a 8-year-old special needs student by dragging him down a hallway and kicking him into an office.
The lawsuit, filed by Bridgette Hereford on behalf of her son "B.L.," also names the Caledonia Elementary School Principal Kimberly Trammell, who has resigned from the district.
Hereford accuses Trammell of assault and battery on her son, who has behavioral disabilities, as a "form of corporal punishment" after B.L. was involved in an altercation with another student last December.
Hereford's attorney, David Harvey, this week also released footage that he says came from the school's security cameras and shows the incident with Trammell and the boy.
(A brief clip can be seen above. A longer video, edited together from five clips, is embedded in the story.)
Hereford, in her suit, says Trammell's actions are "offensive and a shock to the conscience."
Trammell was placed on leave following the incident, according to a school district letter that Harvey released. Chris Williams, an attorney for the school district, said Trammell resigned effective June 15.
Harvey said Friday that he was not sure what the school district's policy is on restraining a child, but "I don't see dragging a child down a hallway as good policy."
The suit was filed in June in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. It was moved to federal court this week, and Hereford's attorneys on Thursday filed an amended lawsuit.
Hereford is asking for a jury trial and an unnamed amount of money.
Harvey said he and Hereford approached the district to settle any claims prior to filing a suit, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
James Climer, an attorney representing the school district in the lawsuit, said it is too early to comment.
Harvey also released a letter Superintendent Myrna Loy Corley sent to the principal on Dec. 18 that said she intends on asking the Board of Education to fire Trammell.
Corley, in the letter, cites the incident, as well as "improprieties" with the school's standardized test and an incident of harassing a teacher because of her nationality.
"These specifications for termination come with the background that I have noted and counseled you on multiple occasions regarding allegations that you conduct your interactions with your staff, parents and students in an unprofessional manner," the letter states.
The lawsuit says the district knew about Trammell's past wrongdoing but only moved to terminate her after the incident with B.L.
It was not immediately clear how long Trammell had worked for the East Cleveland school district.
Trammell, whom the school district is not representing in the lawsuit, did not return a phone call.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi in Akron.