Iakovou & Xanthopoulos Law Group, PLLC (“IX Legal”), filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a Nassau County family whose autistic son was repeatedly targeted and verbally abused by his school bus matron and the bus driver – abuse that was captured in shocking audio recordings. The lawsuit, initially filed in Nassau County Supreme Court on September 23, 2025, and subsequently removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on October 16, 2025, names Levittown Union Free School District as the defendant. The lawsuit asserts multiple causes of action: negligence, negligent supervision, negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of employees, violations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and denial of services.
The incidences of abuse occurred over multiple days in March 2024 while the student, referred to as A.V., was being transported to and from East Broadway Elementary School. Audio recordings made by another student captured the bus matron making repeated derogatory statements toward A.V., including “Nobody likes you,” “You have no more friends,” “We wish you could go on a different bus,” and ordering students to raise their hands if they “hated” him. The bus driver can be heard encouraging students to join in the ridicule. These recordings were provided to both A.V.’s parents, on March 22, 2024, prompting immediate complaints to the school principal. Both employees were removed from their routes, pending investigation.
According to the lawsuit, the incidents caused significant emotional distress to A.V. He began refusing to board the bus, required increased therapeutic support, and experiences heightened anxiety related to transportation. His parents have since been transporting him to and from school themselves. The claims argue that the school district failed to properly supervise its employees, ignored its duty to protect a disabled student, and violated federal disability law by failing to provide appropriate accommodations.
“This is not just about one bus ride – it is about a systemic failure to protect a child with disabilities. The conduct captured on these recordings is appalling. We will use every legal tool to hold the school district accountable and to ensure meaningful safeguards are put in place.” said IX Legal Founder and Managing Member, Michael Iakovou.
The case “A.V., a minor, by his parents and natural guardians, individually v. Levittown Union Free School District” can be found under Index No. 620467/2025 in Nassau County Supreme Court and Docket No. 2:25-cv-05771-NJC-LGD in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which is attached.
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