Texas – Krisiti Roberts, mother of 5 year old Lakay Roberts, is planning on filing a massive lawsuit against her Texas school district. She is filing the lawsuit is response to her daughter’s special education teacher telling her she could no longer use her walker at school. Lakay has Cerebral Palsy and requires the walker to move around.
Kristi Roberts, said that she has been arguing about the walker with the school for two years. She even recorded a conversation between herself and the special education teacher, Gary Lemley, and put it on YouTube. The tape has since been removed.
Lemley is reportedly heard saying on the audio recording,
“Basically she can’t use the walker because we don’t think it’s safe,”
Lakay Roberts, has been able to use the walker in the school for the last two years. She recently fell in the parking lot when the equipment collapsed.
Kristi reportedly told Lemley,
“How many kids fall down at recess? Do you make them take their shoes off and buy new ones? No ma’am. They’re not using walkers,”
The school district, New Caney ISD, issued a statement to MyFoxHouston.com that said its main goal is to protect students. They refused to comment on the specific case due to privacy laws.
The statement said,
“It is important to know that the video and audio recording at issue was not sanctioned or authorized by the District to be released for public dissemination. Furthermore, the District does not agree that the recording at issue here is a complete recounting of the entire underlying confidential discussion and is therefore neither representative nor accurate towards explaining the District’s ongoing efforts to serve its students.”
The recording received a huge outpouring of support before it was removed. Texas Law states that a child with disabilities has to be accommodated in the best way possible. Many noted disability advocates are getting involved.
Do you think the school district should let Lakay Roberts use her walker?
