Lauren Vitale, a 31-year-old special education teacher, has initiated a lawsuit against the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleging she was subjected to mistreatment and ultimately terminated after being assaulted by a student while pregnant. The incident, central to her case, occurred in January when Vitale was six months into her pregnancy while teaching kindergarten at PS 84.
"They said that I could have avoided the kick to my stomach. I’m not Keanu Reeves — I can’t dodge a bullet." — Lauren Vitale, Special Education Teacher
According to the lawsuit, a student in her classroom attacked Vitale without warning, spitting in her face and later kicking her in the stomach on the same day. Following the assault, Vitale sought immediate medical attention at a labor-and-delivery unit, where she experienced bleeding, cramping, reduced fetal movement, and elevated blood pressure, as detailed in the court filing. The student involved in the incident reportedly had a documented history of violent conduct at a previous school, information Vitale claims was never disclosed to her prior to the student's assignment to her class.
Vitale alleges that instead of receiving support as a victim, school administrators blamed her for the incident. She contends that her eventual termination was a direct consequence of her pushing back against this response. "They said that I could have avoided the kick to my stomach. I’m not Keanu Reeves — I can’t dodge a bullet," Vitale told The Post. She has since given birth to her daughter, who is now two months old, and described the period following the attack as one of the most challenging of her life. "It’s been one of the hardest experiences of my life," she stated. "I was in fear that I was going to lose my baby."
The lawsuit presents the January assault not as an isolated event but as the culmination of an alleged pattern of mistreatment that Vitale claims began even before her employment. During her 2023 hiring interview, Vitale alleges the principal inquired whether she planned to get pregnant "anytime soon" and laughed after asking the question. "I was uncomfortable, but I needed a job," she recounted to The Post.
Approximately a year later, in early 2024, Vitale states she filed a formal union complaint after another student with a history of aggression was placed in her classroom. This child allegedly bit her and struck her with a curtain rod. Vitale's suit claims that this complaint resulted in direct retaliation. She alleges the principal summoned her to his office, labeled her a "whistleblower," and warned her that she had "opened Pandora’s box," which she interpreted as a threat.
The lawsuit further details how Vitale's pregnancy became a point of contention months before the January attack. In September, she confided in a school guidance counselor, who also served as a union representative and whom she considered a friend, that she was expecting. Vitale claims this confidence was breached, as word of her pregnancy allegedly reached the principal almost immediately. She states the principal confronted her in her classroom, pressing her until she confirmed her pregnancy. Shortly thereafter, Vitale claims she was placed on a formal Teacher Improvement Plan, a disciplinary measure she characterizes as retaliatory rather than performance-based. "Once I was pregnant, I was scrutinized more, [the principal] would come and observe more, and I just felt there was a change," she told The Post. This heightened scrutiny, she argues, established the framework for the administration's response following the January assault.
Vitale recalled that the day of the assault began without incident. "Everything seemed perfectly fine until she then spit in my face," she said of the student. The kick to her stomach occurred later that day. Vitale subsequently learned that the student had a history of assaulting teachers at a previous school placement, information she says was never provided to her. "I felt like I was being set up," she stated.
Upon her return to work days after the attack, Vitale alleges a noticeable shift in the principal's treatment. He reportedly disputed her official injury report, accused her of employing corporal punishment against the student, reduced her pay, and denied her workplace injury claim, according to the lawsuit. In April, Vitale filed a grievance with her union. One week later, she claims she was fired, just before she would have become eligible for tenure protections.
City officials declined to comment when contacted by The Post regarding the ongoing legal matter. Vitale is currently unemployed and caring for her infant daughter at home. Despite the circumstances, she expresses a desire to return to teaching. "I want to work with children, I want to be a teacher. I just want to be back where I belong," she said. "I’m heartbroken by everything that’s happened." The lawsuit remains pending in Manhattan Supreme Court.
