Mom sues school district after teacher’s aide accused of abusing nonverbal student

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WHNS/Gray Media) - A mother has filed a lawsuit against a South Carolina school district and an assistant teacher accused of forcefully pushing, pulling and dragging a nonverbal student with autism in 2024.

The Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office said Julie Gilbert, at Lakeview Elementary School, was captured on video.

A deputy who watched the video said Gilbert could be seen using her forearms and elbow to strike and push the child on her back several times during the incident in question.

Deputies reviewed surveillance from the weeks before, identifying four different student victims during the investigation.

Gilbert was arrested and charged with four counts of unlawful conduct toward a child in May 2024.

The mother in the lawsuit alleges that her child was subjected to inappropriate physical force by Gilbert on four separate occasions. She also believes that Greenwood School District 50 should have known about the teacher’s actions.

The lawsuit continues to say that Gilbert intentionally inflicted emotional distress and that the school district was grossly negligent.

The mom is seeking actual damages and consequential damages from both defendants and punitive damages from Gilbert.

She claims the following was suffered:

• Physical injury, past and future.
• Pain and suffering, past and future.
• Disability, past and future.
• Medical expenses, past and future.
• Psychological injury.
• Mental stress, anguish and anxiety, past and future.
• Apprehension, past and present.
• Loss of enjoyment of life.

Greenwood School District 50 said it is aware of the pending litigation and, due to the matter involving student information, will not comment further.