Exclusive | Pregnant NYC teacher kicked in belly by student, then blamed for it and fired, lawsuit alleges: Im not Keanu Reeves I cant dodge a bullet

A pregnant city special-ed teacher was violently kicked in the stomach by one of her students — then fired by officials who blamed her for the terrifying outburst, a shocking lawsuit claims. Then-kindergarten teacher Lauren Vitale, 31, was six months pregnant when she was attacked in January by one of her pupils, who has a documented history of violence, according to her Manhattan Supreme Court suit.The special-needs kindergartner had been placed in the classroom at Staten Island’s PS 84 without giving Vitale any advance warning of her violent past — part of a troubling pattern by the adminstration of targeting the teacher, the suit says.The child ended up spitting in Vitale’s face and kicking her in her pregnant belly — which resulted in the mom-to-be suffering from bleeding, low fetal movement and high blood pressure, according to court papers.But instead of supporting Vitale over the assault, the school’s principal immediately blamed her for it, the lawsuit alleges.Vitale was eventually fired when she protested, court documents claim.“They said that I could have avoided the kick to my stomach.I’m not Keanu Reeves — I can’t dodge a bullet,” Vitale told The Post.“It’s been one of the hardest experiences of my life,” she said.

“I was in fear that I was going to lose my baby.”Vitale, whose daughter is now 2 months old, said the alleged horrific experience was the climax of a years-long pattern of discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation by education bosses against her.City officials declined to comment.Vitale claims in ther suit that her trouble began as far back as her 2023 hiring process, when the principal asked if she planned on getting pregnant “anytime soon” and laughed.“I was uncomfortable, but I needed a job,” Vitale told The Post of the encounter.She said in her suit that she then felt especially targeted in early 2024 after she filed a union complaint over the placement of a different dangerous stude...