Aleysha Ortiz, a 19-year-old from Connecticut, has filed a lawsuit against Hartford Public High School, accusing the institution of failing to provide her with an adequate education despite allowing her to graduate with honors. Ortiz, who was born in Puerto Rico and moved to the U.S. at age five, claims the school did not properly address her learning challenges, only conducting additional testing just a month before her graduation. This revealed that she was functionally illiterate.
Ortiz says she struggled throughout her education and relied on translation apps to complete her assignments, which enabled her to graduate with honors and secure a college scholarship. However, her transition to the University of Connecticut has been overwhelming, leading her to stop attending classes in February due to the emotional toll. She is now focusing on mental health treatment but hopes to return to school in the future.
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In her lawsuit, Ortiz is accusing the Hartford school district of negligent infliction of emotional distress, claiming the system failed to address her educational needs and effectively deprived her of a proper education. She hopes her case will hold school officials accountable and bring attention to educational neglect for other students.
Ortiz stated, “People took that opportunity for me to learn, and now I’m in college and I want to take advantage of that because this is my education.”
The outcome of the lawsuit may have implications for how schools address and support students with learning difficulties, particularly those who may be overlooked despite academic achievements.
