A lawsuit filed against Clovis Unified School District and Spectrum Center Clovis alleges that staff subjected a special education student to “repeated, unnecessary, abusive, and unsafe physical interventions and isolations.”

Clovis Unified contracted with SCC for special education services for students with significant disabilities whose needs are beyond what the district provides.

While the plaintiff, L.S., attended SCC, employees allegedly “held him down in invasive holds and isolated him in a manner that caused severe trauma.”

“(L.S.) suffered and continues to suffer great pain of mind and body, shock, emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life,” the lawsuit states.

Plaintiffs attorney David German of Sherman Oaks was unavailable for comment.

These actions were unauthorized, disregarded his safety, and violated his individual education program, which did not allow any form of restraint or isolation, according to the lawsuit.

Additionally, until October 2024, staff allegedly failed to notify the student’s mother or oversight bodies about the interventions, as required by law.

“At all relevant times, Spectrum and district employees and administrators failed to consistently and adequately document or report these interventions,” the lawsuit states.

Clovis Unified and Spectrum Center Clovis did not respond to request for comment in time for publication.

Lawsuit Demands Compensation from Clovis Unified and Spectrum

The lawsuit asserts that the plaintiff is entitled to compensation for damages incurred through placement in SCC and mistreatment.

“Defendants breached their duty of care towards (L.S.) by their conduct and failed to exercise reasonable care,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial and entitlement for “statutory damages, actual damages, exemplary damages, attorney’s fees, and any other relief the court deems.”