Mom of boy attacked at IPS school hopes ‘painful episode leads to significant changes’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis mother has shared “her deepest gratitude to the community for their incredible support and advocacy” after she filed a lawsuit earlier this month on behalf of her 7-year-old son, her lawyers say.
A teacher’s video in an Indianapolis Public Schools classroom showed her second-grader being attacked by another student. The mother, Corrie Horan, learned of the video during a parent-teacher conference in November where her son’s teacher, Julious Johnican, accidentally showed it to her, the lawsuit says.
In the teacher’s video, an adult believed to be the teacher can be heard encouraging the attack.
IPS says the teacher resigned in November before the district could initiate its termination process.
The 7-year-old had started second grade at George Washington Carver Montessori School 87 in the fall.
Horan filed the lawsuit April 16. The mother is seeking damages. Since then, the Marion County sheriff spoke about a need for better school safety, the IPS superintendent called the video “appalling” and issued a wide-ranging safety review, and parents of students at George Washington Carver Montessori School 87 drilled the IPS board about their concerns during am April 25 meeting.
No criminal charges have been filed in the case.
Horan’s statement came Monday from the Carmel law firm of Connell Michael. Horan says she hopes the “painful episode leads to significant changes.”
“I cannot express enough thanks to our community, the media, and the IPS PTA for standing with us during this harrowing time, your support has not only comforted us but has ignited a crucial conversation about the safety of our children in schools. Thank you for your advocacy. Every child deserves to learn in an environment that is safe and nurturing. I am committed to ensuring that the tragedy my child endured serves as a wake-up call for all involved in our education system. It is my deepest hope that this painful episode leads to significant changes that will protect countless other children from ever experiencing similar harm or having to go through what our family did. This is not just about my child; it’s about all the children in our schools. I want our painful experience to be the catalyst for positive change across Indiana. We have an opportunity to turn our outrage into action, to ensure that no child ever again has to go through what my child did.”
Corrie Horan
The lawyers who filed the lawsuit on the mother’s behalf, Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer, also shared a statement Monday.
“This case highlights critical vulnerabilities within our educational systems in Indiana. We are committed to ensuring that this moment becomes a catalyst for real and lasting change across all Indiana schools, ensuring that every child can learn in a safe and appropriate environment. It’s essential that we overhaul the protocols for hiring, training, and monitoring school staff throughout the state. We are pushing for legislative and policy changes that will enforce stricter safety measures in every public school in Indiana.”
Attorneys Catherine Michael and Tammy Meyer