Former Providence Student Suing School, Teacher, Diocese & Others

A former student from Providence Catholic High School is suing the New Lenox school, an English teacher, assistant principal, and the Diocese of Joliet.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Will County court, also names the Joliet Diocesan Board of Education and the Province of our Mother of Good Counsel Order of St. Augustine as defendants.

The student, identified both as "ZB"  and "Zak," and as a Homer Glen resident "diagnosed as bipolar and ADHD," attended Providence "during the beginning to middle of fall semester 2011, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges ZB's English teacher, Kathy Rabbers did not adequately communicate with ZB's parents. The suit also accuses Assistant Principal Janlyn Auld of calling ZB into her office where she "relentlessly questioned (him) regarding his (psychiatrist's) name, prognosis and treatment and took notes throughout the conversation."

ZB eventually left Providence to attend St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chicago. But before transferring, the lawsuit said, Rabbers told ZB "she was 'sick of him,' that she 'did not know what to do with him,' and that she 'didn't want him in her class anymore.'"

On another occasion, Rabbers told ZB's parents during a parent/teacher night that he is a hopeless case, that he is not worth solving, and that he is helpless, the lawsuit said.

After ZB left the school for St. Rita's, the suit said, Rabbers told his former classmates that his parents "informed me on Thursday at parent/teacher night that Zak is seeing a doctor who is medicating him for his condition, and we all see that is not working!"

ZB's mother learned of the statement from four students who called to tell her about it, the suit said.

ZB's parents and school officials also had difficulties over a requirement to sign a HIPPA agreement, according to the lawsuit.

The suit alleges the intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress to ZB.

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