Hempstead teacher grabbed student by neck, then tanked his grade, lawsuit says

A Hempstead mother says in court papers that her son’s French teacher grabbed the boy by the neck in class — and then drove his grade into the ground after the family went to the police.

Veronique Fabien filed a lawsuit last week in Nassau County Supreme Court against the Hempstead Union Free School District, Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School, French teacher Jude Jacques, middle school dean Damaris Hardial, and Principal Lisaura Moreno, alleging the assault occurred in French class on March 13, 2025.

Fabien’s seventh-grade son had earned grades of 89, 95 and 98 in French through the first three quarters of the school year. His fourth-quarter grade, recorded after the assault was reported, was a 60, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit calls that collapse retaliatory, punitive and arbitrary — and notes that Jacques himself had previously described the student in written comments as making “great effort” and being “a pleasure to have in class.”

But Fabien’s complaint also states that the assault was not a surprise. Before March 13, 2025, Jacques had allegedly threatened students with deportation if they skipped French class, according to the court papers.

Fabien said those complaints were reported to Hardial on or about March 1, 2025, and that Moreno knew or should have known of the alleged harassment before the assault took place. The district, the suit alleges, took no meaningful action.

On the day of the incident, at approximately noon, Jacques, according to the lawsuit, allegedly grabbed the boy by the neck and violently pulled him in front of his classmates.

The school district has not replied to requests for comment for this report. Previously, a notice of claim was served on the district a year ago, the lawsuit states.

The suit alleges the district then failed to protect the boy from being graded and evaluated by the same teacher who had allegedly assaulted him. It contends the fourth-quarter grade injured the student academically and emotionally, damaging his educational record.

Fabien’s complaint asserts 10 causes of action, including negligence, negligent hiring and retention, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, retaliation, civil rights violations, discrimination and hostile educational environment.

In addition to compensatory and punitive damages and attorneys’ fees, the lawsuit requests a court order directing relief concerning the student’s educational record.

_{Top: Hempstead Public Schools central office (Google Maps Street View).}