ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) – The parents of three children with disabilities are suing the Aberdeen School District, claiming the students were physically and emotionally abused.

The plaintiffs are not identified in the federal lawsuit which seeks at least $75,000 in damages. The school district has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

The parents say their 13-year-old children were physically and mentally abused by staff at May Overby Elementary School and that administrators failed to take action when notified of the abuse.

The plaintiffs say their children were happy and thriving at Lincoln Elementary until they reached third grade and had to transfer to May Overby. The lawsuit says each child began to express significant distress with attending school.

AP-WF-01-03-19