Livonia teacher fired for mistreating disabled kids; internal report not being released

LIVONIA, Mich. (WXYZ) - Allegations of mistreatment of young children with severe disabilities at the hands of a teacher are stirring up anger and frustration at a Livonia elementary school.

And parents are fuming because a judge is blocking the release of an internal district report that fully details witness accounts of the alleged incidents.

The trouble began during this past academic year when staff members at Webster Elementary School reported seeing the teacher in question mistreating students. An internal investigation was launched and Livonia Police also became involved.

In one case a social worker was quoted in the police report saying she saw the teacher behaving aggressively toward a 3-year-old student with a severe brain abnormality called Hydrocephalus.

The social worker reported to police the teacher grabbed the little boy by the back of his head and jerked it back.

That little boy is Jayden Gohl. His mother spoke to Action News Tuesday night.

“My son has had seven brain surgeries. He has a device surgically implanted in his brain. Any injury to his head is potentially life-threatening,” said Lauren Gohl, Jayden’s mother.

The teacher, who has more than 10 years at the school, was ultimately fired but is appealing her termination. According to Livonia’s superintendent it’s because of that appeal that administrators cannot release the internal report with full details of the allegations of mistreatment.

The superintendent says a judge has ordered the district to keep the document confidential until the appeal proceedings are complete.

“What about my rights as a parent? I want and need to know what went on in that classroom,” Gohl said.

Police forwarded their case to the Wayne County prosecutor’s office. The report says the office decided not to issue abuse charges because there was not sufficient evidence.

Action News has decided not to publish the teacher’s name at this time because we have not been able to reach her, and no criminal charges have been filed.