TUCSON (CN) - A 13-year-old Iraqi refugee was beaten by his fellow 8th-graders in an attack motivated by "bigotry, hate and prejudice," his family says in Pima County Court. Amna Al Qaisi sued Tucson Unified School District on behalf of her son, who attended Alice Vail Middle School when he was beaten in November 2008.
Al Qaisi says teachers, monitors, administrators and the school nurse all saw students verbally and physically threatening the boy before the attack, and that she pleaded with school officials "take reasonable steps to prevent physical harm to (her son)."
She says her son was attacked because he and his family are Iraqi refugees.
Al Qaisi seeks a jury trial and unspecified damages. She is represented by David Dwyer with Ciaccio & Dwyer.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.