Baltimore County high school student alleges in lawsuit she was assaulted by teacher
"I remember I used to feel so defenseless," said Baltimore County student Maysha Tuyas-Perez.
Her family is filing the lawsuit against the Baltimore County School Board over negligence and claiming the school failed to provide a safe space for students and proper staff training. The family is seeking over $75,000 in damages.
Recalling the alleged assault
Maysha Tuyas-Perez said she was assaulted by her AP Spanish teacher when she walked into the classroom at Overlea High School two years ago.
"She stood up, grabbed me by hoodie and started punching me over and over and over again and she finally let go," Tuyas-Perez told WJZ. "I don't remember how many times she punched me."
Tuyas-Perez said she left the classroom shocked and confused. She said she called her friend before walking to the school's office to notify officials and write up a report. The nurse took photos of her back, which was bruised, she said.
Tuyas-Perez said she recovered from the assault for two weeks at home. During that time, the teacher was suspended for a few days before returning to work.
According to the Baltimore County school district, the teacher is still at the school.
"We are aware of the lawsuit and cannot comment on pending litigation," a Baltimore County Public Schools spokesperson said. "BCPS followed its processes and thoroughly investigated the report, and the teacher is teaching classes at Overlea."
David Muncy, the lawyer representing Tuyas-Perez, says suspension was not enough, and he wants the school to be held accountable.
"They've given us no answers as to why this happened or what they plan to do about it," Muncy said. "The teachers back in the school, and overall, they have not taken the incident seriously."
"I used to beat myself up over it"
The alleged assault still haunts Tuyas-Perez. She filed a request to be transferred to another school.
"I remember I used to cry every day," Tuyas-Perez said. "I used to beat myself up over it. I just remember I was in a really bad mental state and I couldn't concentrate on school."
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