Latest news with #PlanoISD
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
North Texan, 13, wins $50,000 grand prize in Scripps National Spelling Bee
The Brief North Texas teenager Faizan Zaki won the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night, correctly spelling "éclaircissement." The 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, secured the $50,000 grand prize. Last year, Zaki placed second overall in the event. DALLAS - A teenager from North Texas has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, securing the $50,000 grand prize and bragging rights for his hometown of Allen. The Latest Faizan Zaki spelled "éclaircissement" correctly to win the final round of the competition on Thursday night. The word, appropriately enough, means "a clearing up of something obscure." Zaki, 13, will take home the grand prize of $50,000 for the win. The backstory Zaki is a seventh-grader at C.M. Rice Middle School in Plano, and is sponsored by the Dallas Sports Commission. Last season, the student placed second in the contest, only losing during a "spell-off" tiebreaker. He still beat out more than 240 other spellers and went home with $25,000. What they're saying Plano ISD proudly spoke out on X after Zaki's win: "Faizan's extraordinary achievement reflects the excellence, perseverance and passion for learning that define our students across Plano ISD. We are incredibly proud to see one of our own rise to the top on the national stage!" The Source Information in this story comes from the Scripps National Spelling Bee website and past news coverage.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former Plano ISD staffer under investigation for allegedly abusing disabled student
The Brief Plano police are investigating after parents say a Plano ISD staff member abused their disabled daughter. Lestia Nelson says she planted an audio device in her daughter's backpack, which later recorded what she calls screams. A video shows an educator pulling 18-year-old Saniyah Reese by her neck and bending her fingers backward while being rough with her. PLANO - Plano police are investigating after parents say a former Plano ISD staff member abused their disabled daughter. What we know 18-year-old Saniyah Reese lives with a rare gene mutation called GRIN-1, causing neuro-development disorders. She takes special-needs classes at Plano Senior High School, where a now-former special needs teacher is under criminal investigation for alleged abuse against Reese. Reese's mother, Lestia Nelson, says she suspected her special-needs daughter was mistreated at school. Lestia Nelson says she planted an audio device in her daughter's backpack, which later recorded what she calls screams. What they're saying The concerned mother requested video from cameras inside the classroom. They say the video shows an educator pulling Saniyah by her neck and bending her fingers backward while being rough with her. Saniyah's cries are heard in the recording. Saniyah's parents shared a video from January, which they obtained from the district in March. The parents fear what they see on video might only be a sample of incidents involving their daughter or other special-needs students. "We caught this, and we don't know what else happened before this. These are just a couple of moments that were able to catch," said Alvin Nelson, father of Saniyah. "She was crying, and she doesn't cry for nothing," said Lestia Nelson. What we know Her parents spoke at a Plano ISD board meeting on Tuesday. "We want accountability, and we want action," said Alvin Nelson. "They should be able to follow protocols, guidelines and procedures to be able to protect our kids and educate our kids." Plano ISD told FOX 4 the staff member no longer works there and was reported to the state. It did not say if the educator, who has not been charged with a crime, was fired or resigned. What we don't know The educator has not been identified yet, and we do not know if charges are expected to be brought against them. What's next The Plano Police Department says it has an active investigation. The Source Information provided in this article is from the Plano Police Department and Plano ISD.
CBS News
02-04-2025
- CBS News
Family alleges Plano ISD teacher abused high school student with disability; police investigating
A Plano Independent School District family believes their high school senior, who has a disability, was abused by a teacher. Police are investigating. Lestia Nelson said a few years ago her daughter, Saniyah was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called GRIN syndrome. "She's totally disabled," she said. "She needs help with personal care, feeding, transferring, diapering, everything." Nelson said earlier this year, she started noticing things that would concern her when her daughter would arrive home from school. "When she would get home she would have a horrible diaper rash that would be bleeding," she said. "I asked them about it, asked them if they could change her more, and it was a struggle. Also, with the feeding, they put her on a liquid diet without notifying me so Saniyah lost 10-15 pounds." Nelson said she asked her daughter if she could put a recording device in her backpack. "She said yes, so I put an audio recorder in her book bag and just recorded," she said. On January 8, she heard Saniyah crying. "I know that Saniyah doesn't just cry," she said. She took her daughter to a doctor who documented a "decreased range of motion" in her neck. Nelson said her daughter has not returned to school since. She told CBS News Texas she asked Plano ISD to send her the video from that day and just received it last week. A teacher's actions in the video greatly concerned her. "While she was doing something, she elbowed her and pushed her head down and then because Saniyah's head went down, she choked her to pick her up and Saniyah started crying," Nelson said. "I saw that she bent her fingers backward." "It's really difficult to watch the video more than once but each time we do look at it we do find something else that was wrong," Alvin Nelson said. On social media, Lestia Nelson documented all of her concerns. In a statement to CBS News Texas, a spokesperson for Plano ISD said: Plano police confirm they're investigating. Lestia Nelson believes there needs to be more accountability and wants to see criminal charges. "I'm a fighter and I'm going to fight for Sanaya until everything is right," she said.
