Idaho family says teacher had students push girl down stairs

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Parents of a Twin Falls middle school student have filed a tort claim against the school district, contending that the girl was injured after a teacher instructed his students to push her down concrete stairs as part of a reenactment of a Shakespeare play.

The family has incurred more than $30,000 in medical costs so far because of the girl’s injuries, attorney Brian Hilverda told the Times-News.

A tort claim is the first step toward suing a government entity. The Twin Falls School District and teacher Froylan Vargas have not yet responded to the tort claim, which was filed in March, the Twin Falls newspaper reported Sunday. Vargas didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.

The family in the claim said the teacher had his students wrap the girl tightly in a sheet before pushing her down concrete stairs while he recorded the event on his cell phone.

The girl “was wrapped so tight she could not arrest her descent down the stairs,” law firm Hilverda McRae PLLC wrote in the claim. The family said she sustained a concussion, traumatic brain injury, a scalp wound that required staples and other injuries.

The school district confirmed on Thursday that it had received notice of tort claim, but declined comment.

“Beyond that confirmation, the District cannot release any information during the ongoing investigation of this claim,” district spokesperson Eva Craner wrote in an email.

The stunt was part of an assignment to reenact a scene from Shakespeare, and the students were reportedly told they would fail if they didn’t participate, Hilverda said.

“This poor girl has been through a lot. She tried to return to school, but the brain injury has made that difficult,” Hilverda said. “Her mother eventually pulled her from school during the last few weeks.”