A 6-year-old special education student in Puyallup was repeatedly tied by her apron to a chair during lunch, leading to her teacher’s suspension, a legal complaint says.
The girl has autism and can act out, including biting, if frustrated or emotionally dysregulated. She was allegedly restrained for extended periods by school staff while attending Meeker Elementary School during the first half of the 2025-26 school year, according to a lawsuit brought by the girl’s parents against the Puyallup School District.
The complaint, filed on March 16 in Pierce County Superior Court, suggested the practice went on for at least two weeks and potentially for months. The restraint, according to the filing, violated the Washington Law Against Discrimination based on the girl’s disabilities, which include being essentially non-verbal. The district also is accused of negligence, battery and false imprisonment…