BY JORDAN COHEN
news@vindy.com
VIENNA
A lawsuit accusing the Mathews Board of Education and Superintendent Lee Seiple of nine counts of discrimination, harassment and civil-rights violations has been filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.
Carol Lynne Sassya of Girard filed the suit, which seeks damages in excess of $75,000. The lawsuit stems from an incident in which a Mathews school bus driver, Kathy Kotanichek, called one of Sassya’s children, who are of Lebanese descent, “a terrorist.” Kotanichek subsequently was convicted of disorderly conduct and fined but allowed to keep her job. She is barred from contact with the children by restraining order.
The lawsuit lists a series of incidents involving Kotanichek and alleges that Seiple and the board were too slow in their response when the family complained about the driver.
“This family has been through a lot, and we’ve had years of suffering,” Sassya said.
A spokeswoman for the board of education said its legal counsel has not yet been assigned by its insurance carrier.
Comments
"Carol Lynne Sassya of Girard filed the suit, which seeks damages in excess of $75,000."
Carol will be lucky to get a crying towel in the suit . She is trying to steal money from the Mathews School District and it wont work .
She will get some $$$. Look for this to be settled out of court.
If this family has moved into the Girard district better get some sensitivity training for the bus drivers.
What's the big deal? I call my neice and nephews 'Terrorists' all the time. Children now-a-days are pure TERROR.
Kind of harsh Stan...
I mean, if it is true that the family was making complaints, and the bus driver was actually spouting off at the mouth with this stuff, I would expect more action.
I really wonder if the district's insurance liability carrier is aware of this. If I were the family, that is where I would head. Make it cost them to keep this knucklehead driving children to school. I am guessing that having a driver who was convicted of harassing a child on a school bus would do SOMETHING to the insurance rates. Hint hint...