Complaint places blame on Flagler Schools for teen's attack on teacher's aide: 'A ticking time bomb'
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A complaint filed Wednesday with the Florida Department of Education against Flagler Schools blames the school district for a student's attack on a teacher's aide that made national headlines.
Surveillance video from inside Matanzas High School in Flagler County last February shows then-17-year-old Brendan Depa brutally attacking and permanently injuring teacher's aide Joan Naydich.
"My whole life was just turned upside down," Naydich told FOX 35 in November 2023. "Unfortunately, a lot of my injuries that are not visible … I'm going to have for the rest of my life."
Depa eventually pleaded "no contest" to the "aggravated battery of a school employee" charge and avoided trial. His sentencing is scheduled for May 1. And while his future will soon be decided, Depa, through his attorneys, claims this whole incident could've been prevented.
"What we saw was a complete failure to do any evidence-based intervention practices to change his problem behaviors as identified by the school district," Stephanie Langer, founding attorney at Langer Law, P.A., said. She is not representing Depa in his criminal case.
The complaint alleges the district failed to address Depa's disabilities through a proper behavior plan on multiple occasions, ultimately leading to the attack.
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"It's not about negating what he did or excusing what he did, but it's holding the system accountable to make sure that kids get the support and services they need, so we never have another Brendan who goes out and hurts a paraprofessional or hurts anybody," Langer said.
The main goal of the complaint is to shed light on what she says is a bigger problem in school districts and to get Depa the education he deserves, regardless of the outcome of his criminal case.
"Had the school system acted in the right way, this incident would never have happened, and the 17-year-old, now 18 years old, would not … be in jail today and would not be facing such significant penalties for his conduct that day," Langer said.
A spokesperson for Flagler Schools says the district is not commenting on the complaint.
You can read the full complaint below: