District loses $8M case over student punched in the face by Meany Middle School math teacher

A jury has awarded $8 million in a lawsuit over a 2018 incident at Capitol Hill’s Meany Middle School in which a student was injured after he was punched in the face by his math teacher as shocked classmates looked on.

Lawyers for Zakaria Sheikhibrahim told jurors the now 21-year-old suffered a brain injury and continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. They also alleged the district violated non-discrimination laws.

The jury found Seattle Public Schools negligent and also agreed the district failed to prevent discrimination based on background and religiion. Sheikhibrahim is of Somali descent and Muslim.

In the lawsuit, the jury heard details of the assault that arose as the teacher tried to remove Sheikhibrahim from his class over disciplinary issues.

The teacher was not charged in the alleged assault and was not a defendant in the lawsuit.

Sheikhibrahim’s lawyers also asked for a court order requiring the district to address the discrimination issues in the case.

The $8 million award is the latest major financial blow suffered in the courts by the Seattle district. Last year, SPS settled a $16 million lawsuit brought on behalf of a former Garfield High School student who said two coaches sexually abused her for years.

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