A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Levittown School District after the alleged abuse of an autistic elementary school student on the bus.
The defendants, a Nassau County family, claim that in March 2024, their son suffered severe emotional distress after being “repeatedly targeted and verbally abused” by both a school bus matron and a bus driver for the Levittown School District, according to a recent press release from Iakovou & Xanthopoulos Law Group.
An audio recording of the alleged abuse, filmed by another student, was obtained by the victim’s family. According to the audio verified by a reporter, the bus matron can be heard saying, “Nobody likes you,” “You have no more friends,” and “We wish you could go on a different bus.” In one instance, the audio shows the matron ordering students to raise their hands if they were “sick” of him. The bus driver can be heard in the audio encouraging other students on the bus to continue the bullying. According to the law firm, this kind of bullying went on for months.
“It’s inexcusable for him to have to go through this and be subjected to the point where he needs even more therapy than what he has to undergo on a daily basis,” said IX Legal Founder and Managing Member Michael Iakovou, in a press release. “The individuals who should have the requisite training on these school buses really targeted this poor boy who has a certain trigger.”
The school district has since removed the matron and the bus driver off their routes, pending an investigation, according to the press release. A representative of the school district said that they had no comment, referring to the employment of the individuals.
“The Levittown School District is aware of the lawsuit but does not comment on ongoing litigation,” the representative said in an emailed statement.
IX Law Group said the family did try to reach out to the district, but no remedial actions were taken. Iakovou said that they are trying to hold the district accountable for not protecting its students.
“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,” Iakovou said in a press release.
The case, which was filed in the Nassau County Supreme Court on Sept. 23, 2025, was removed to the federal level in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Oct. 16, 2025.
The firm said the lawsuit is moving for multiple causes of action, including negligence, negligent supervision, negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of employees, violations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, violations of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and loss of services.
People with autism and other disabilities are considered a protected class at the federal level and at the New York state level. Laws like the ADA are put in place to prohibit discrimination against these individuals and provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access.
This particular student had an Individual Education Plan, or an IEP, which requires the school district to provide free public education services tailored to the specific needs of that student.
