CHICAGO -- Two school workers in the Chicago suburb of South Holland, Ill., unfairly and physically punished a student, the student's mother alleges in a lawsuit.
Leslie Connie alleges in her lawsuit against South Holland School District 151 that her son, Isaac, was forced to hold two heavy books in his outstretched arms for nearly a half an hour as a punishment at Coolidge Middle School, the Chicago Sun-Times said Monday.
Connie alleges a counselor and social worker at the school were responsible for the act of discipline, which also involved Isaac remaining in a squatting position for the entire time period.
The March 2008 incident was the officials' attempt to punish Isaac for a lunchroom mess created by some of his friends, Connie alleges in last week's lawsuit.
Since the incident occurred, Isaac has allegedly been suffering from anxiety, recurring nightmares, frequent flashbacks and panic attacks.
The Sun-Times said the suit, in which Coolidge Principal Patricia Payne is also named as a defendant, only identifies the social worker as "Ms. Mitchell" and the counselor as "Mr. Gaines."
It was not reported what Connie is seeking in her lawsuit.
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