Several Families Claim Long Island Teacher Abused Special Education Students

LONG BEACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island school district is facing another lawsuit claiming administrators turned a blind eye to abuse of special needs students.

Todd and Kim Greengus, who lost their home in Superstorm Sandy, told CBS2's Tony Aiello that their autistic son Bobby was abused in a special education classroom at Long Beach Middle School.

"During the most awful time in our life, which we thought was losing our house, doesn't compare to what we're going through today," Kim Greengus said.

They are one of six families who are claiming abuse took place under teacher Lisa Weitzman, alleging that she and aides "sprayed the boy with air freshener," saying, "This is how we get rid of smelly children."

"There was striking, there was locking up, there was restraint," Greengus said.

Attorney Brad Gerstman released a letter Thursday from the former teacher's union president, who said Superintendent David Weiss described this as "the worst case of child abuse that I have encountered."

However, a district spokeswoman said in a statement, "The superintendent denies that statement."

Weitzman and her lawyer have strongly denied these allegations and claim the teacher is something of a victim.

"Ms. Weitzman is astounded and horrified by the allegations in the federal court complaint.  She had a loving relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Greengus and their son.  Ms. Weitzman did not, and would not, in any way harm him or any other student in her class," her attorney Debra Wabnik said in a statement. "As stated in the notice of claim Ms. Weitzman filed against the Long Beach City School District, disciplinary charges were brought against Ms. Weitzman in retaliation for her advocating for the rights of the children entrusted to her.  Ms. Weitzman requested that the hearing on those charges be open to the public to put an end to groundless and defamatory allegations like those in this complaint and expose the discrimination she and her students encountered from the District."

The Greengus family said the district learned of the alleged abuse but never notified them.

The district has brought Weitzman up on disciplinary charges.