The East Cleveland School Board approved a settlement of $27,500, which will be paid to the family of a special needs student who was allegedly dragged down the hallway and kicked into an office by a school principal, Attorney Matthew B. Abens confirmed.
Abens said he did not know when the East Cleveland School Board officially approved the settlement, but it does release the School District and Kimberly Trammell of all claims raised in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit accused Caledonia Elementary School Principal Kimberly Trammell of assault and battery.
The school told newsnet5.com Trammell resigned from her job in June 2015.
The boy was in a special education program because of behavior disabilities.
According to the lawsuit, the incident began when the boy, referred to in the lawsuit as B.L., tried to run away from a classmate who was provoking or attacking him. The classmate caught B.L. as he attempted to run away and dragged him onto the ground. B.L. became hysterical, yelling and screaming in the hallway.
At that point, the surveillance video showed Trammell grabbing B.L. and dragging him on the floor, nudging him into her office with the side of her foot.
The lawsuit called Trammell's actions "offensive and a shock to the conscience." It went on to claim her actions were a form of corporal punishment.
A copy of the settlement was not available on Thursday night.
