Lawsuit alleges Tulsa schools failed to protect special needs student

Federal civil lawsuit claims Tulsa Public Schools did not properly respond to alleged assault at Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A federal civil lawsuit is accusing Tulsa Public Schools of failing to protect a special-needs student after an alleged assault at Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy. The lawsuit claims the school district did not properly respond to the incident.

Why it matters

This case raises concerns about the safety and well-being of special needs students in the Tulsa school district and the district's policies and procedures for responding to incidents of student-on-student violence or assault.

The details

The lawsuit alleges that a special needs student was assaulted by another student at Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy, and that the school district failed to properly investigate the incident or take appropriate disciplinary action against the perpetrator. The lawsuit claims the school district's lack of response put the special needs student at further risk of harm.

  • The alleged assault incident occurred at Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy.

The players

Tulsa Public Schools

The school district being sued for allegedly failing to protect a special needs student from an assault.

Wayman Tisdale Fine Arts Academy

The school where the alleged assault of a special needs student took place.

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What’s next

The federal civil lawsuit is ongoing, and the courts will determine if Tulsa Public Schools is liable for not properly responding to the alleged assault on the special needs student.

The takeaway

This case highlights the critical need for schools to have robust policies and procedures in place to protect vulnerable students, especially those with special needs, and to swiftly and thoroughly investigate any incidents of student-on-student violence or assault.