Student with Special Needs Assaulted on School Bus in Cutler Bay, Florida

A mother in Cutler Bay, Florida, is speaking out after her daughter, who has special needs, was attacked on a school bus on her 15th birthday. The brutal incident was caught on camera and has sparked outrage among parents and community members.

Johanna Velez, the mother of the victim, is devastated that her daughter was not protected while riding the school bus. According to Velez, the bus driver left the door open, allowing another student's sister to come on the bus and join in the attack. The victim was left with a concussion and is traumatized by the experience.

Velez reached out to the principal of Cutler Bay Middle School but has not received a response. The school district has confirmed that the student involved has been disciplined, but no details were provided. The bus driver will not face any consequences because they followed protocol.

Frustrated with the lack of action, Velez has hired an attorney, Joseph Montgomery, who is planning to serve the school with legal papers in the next few weeks. Montgomery said, "Enough with the deliberate indifference to student safety. You're on notice, you've been on notice. We're a week or less or right around a week since the awful Coconut Palm incident, and here we are with another bus assault. When will it end?"

The incident is the latest in a string of headline-grabbing cases of students being hurt or abused in south Miami-Dade County. It's unclear what the future holds for the victim, but Velez says her daughter will likely not return to Cutler Bay Middle School.

Parents in the community are left wondering what public school leaders will do to address the issue and protect their children. They are calling for action and accountability from the school district and administration.

"It should be the easiest thing in the world for a parent to report this assault on their child to law enforcement," said Montgomery. "The flawed communication has forced the child's mother to go back and forth trying to report the crime."

The school district has stated that Miami-Dade Police is handling the investigation and that they will not release any information on the other students involved due to federal privacy laws.

This is a shocking and unacceptable incident that highlights the need for greater protection for students on school buses. The school district must take immediate action to ensure the safety of all students and hold those responsible for this attack accountable. As attorney Joseph Montgomery stated, "When will it end?"

Learn more about the shocking incident in Cutler Bay, Florida where a special needs student was attacked on a school bus and hear from Joseph Montgomery, the attorney at EducationLawyers.com representing the young victim.

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/02/10/mother-of-cutler-bay-middle-school-student-lashes-out-at-administration-over-bus-beating/
https://www.local10.com/espanol/2023/02/10/arremete-contra-administracion-de-cutler-bay-middle-school-luego-de-que-su-hija-recibiera-una-paliza-en-el-autobus/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/mom-says-special-needs-child-attacked-in-school-bus/
https://www.telemundo51.com/noticias/local/joven-con-necesidades-especiales-agredida-violentamente-en-un-autobus-escolar/2395499/