A pregnant New York City (NYC) public school teacher was terminated from her position after a student repeatedly kicked her in the belly, according to a federal discrimination lawsuit that accuses the school of blaming the victim to cover up classroom violence. 

The victim teacher, Lauren Vitale, 31, filed a civil action on Monday, July 6, in Manhattan Federal Court against the NYC Department of Education. The lawsuit alleges that school officials orchestrated her ouster from a Staten Island school, utilizing a weaponized Teacher Improvement Plan after she reported the assault. 

The incident occurred inside a classroom designated for students with severe behavioral disorders, court documents state. Vitale, who was pregnant at the time, was allegedly cornered and struck in the midsection by a student. 

The student apparently spat on Vitale’s face and kicked her pregnant belly, which led to Vitale suffering from bleeding, high blood pressure, and low fetal movement. 

Instead of receiving medical leave or institutional backing, Vitale alleges school bosses immediately pivoted to protect the institution. Administrators claimed Vitale “provoked” the assault by failing to properly manage her classroom environment, according to the filing. 

 

Following her report of the violence, the Department of Education placed Vitale on a Teacher Improvement Plan, a system that tracks performance. The lawsuit maintains that this plan served as a legal pretext to build a paper trail for her termination while she was dealing with a high-risk pregnancy. 

The complaint also details a hostile workplace environment where administrative silence and victim-blaming are used to suppress reports of physical threats against staff. Vitale is seeking unspecified damages for discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. 

Spokesperson for the New York City Department of Education declined to comment directly on the pending litigation, citing standard privacy protocols. 

Attorneys representing Vitale note that her career was effectively derailed because she refused to stay silent about the physical dangers present in her classroom. 

During an interview with the NY Post, Vitale stated, “They said that I could have avoided the kick to my stomach. I’m not Keanu Reeves — I can’t dodge a bullet.”

Further continuing, “It’s been one of the hardest experiences of my life. I was in fear that I was going to lose my baby. Once I was pregnant, I was scrutinized more, [the principal] would come and observe more, and I just felt there was a change.”

The New York teacher also said, “I want to work with children, I want to be a teacher. I just want to be back where I belong. I’m heartbroken by everything that’s happened.”

The federal court must now determine whether the Department of Education used standard performance metrics to mask unlawful discrimination against a pregnant worker seeking a safe environment. 

Disclaimer: Inquisitr has not independently verified the facts of this lawsuit and is reporting strictly based on the allegations contained within the filed court documents and publicly available information.