FARMINGTON HILLS, MI, December 11, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- K Altman Law is calling renewed attention to the protections owed to students with disabilities after three former Berkeley County, West Virginia, educators admitted in court documents to degrading, abusive treatment of elementary-age special education students.

Recent reporting from WTOV/7News describes disturbing audio captured in a self-contained special education classroom at Berkeley Heights Elementary School, where a teacher and two aides were recorded threatening, mocking, and verbally abusing students. The West Virginia Attorney General's Office later brought a civil enforcement action under the West Virginia Human Rights Act; you can read it here.

The enforcement case was filed in 2019 in the Circuit Court of Berkeley County under the West Virginia Human Rights Act, W. Va. Code § 5-11-1 et seq., by the West Virginia Attorney General's Office. According to the Attorney General, the case resulted in a consent order permanently barring the educators from teaching or working with special needs individuals in West Virginia public schools.

The enforcement action was brought by the Office of the West Virginia Attorney General, currently led by Attorney General JB McCuskey. The Attorney General's Office is located at 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E, Building 1, Room E-26, Charleston, WV 25305, Tel. (304) 558-2021.

"Hidden classroom abuse is every parent's worst nightmare," said Keith Altman, Managing Partner of K Altman Law. "Cases like this show why districts must embrace transparency, trauma-informed practices, and real accountability, not just policies on paper. Cameras, robust reporting systems, and empowered families are critical safeguards for students who cannot always speak for themselves."

Altman noted that while technology such as classroom cameras can help uncover abuse, families still need prompt investigations, meaningful remedies, and access to legal counsel when districts fail to protect students with disabilities.

K Altman Law routinely represents families in cases involving abuse, restraint and seclusion, failure to supervise, and other violations of students' rights in special education settings.

About K Altman Law

K Altman Law is a national education and civil-rights law firm focused on Student Defense, Special Education advocacy, Title IX, and complex litigation. The firm represents students and families in K–12 and higher education matters across the United States, with a particular emphasis on protecting the rights of vulnerable learners and holding institutions accountable.

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