Connecticut

Student who says she is illiterate — despite graduating with honors — sues Connecticut school district

Published

1 year ago

March 1, 2025

Student who says she is illiterate — despite graduating with honors — sues Connecticut school district

A Connecticut honors student is suing her school district, saying she is illiterate.

Despite graduating from Hartford Public High School in June with honors and getting a scholarship to the University of Connecticut, Aleysha Ortiz is claiming she cannot read or write.

The 19-year-old, who spent 12 years in the Hartford public school district, testified at a May city council meeting, explaining her unique situation and how the educational system failed her.

Aleysha Ortiz is suing the Hartford Board of Education, the City of Hartford and her special education case manager for negligence. Youtube/WTNH News8

“I decided, they [the school] had 12 years,” Ortiz, a native of Puerto Rico, told CNN. “Now it’s my time.”

Ortiz is suing the Hartford Board of Education, the City of Hartford and her special education case manager, Tilda Santiago, for negligence.

According to her lawsuit, she began having problems with “letter, sound and number recognition” as early as first grade, and because those issues were not addressed, she began acting out in school.

“I was the bad child,” she told the outlet.

When she was in 6th grade, she was reading at a mere kindergarten or first-grade level, Ortiz alleges.

When Ortiz was a sophomore at Hartford Public High School, Santiago was assigned as her special education teacher and case manager.

Santiago bullied, harassed and stalked Ortiz, and was later removed from the role, the suit claims.

Although she hardly speaks English, Ortiz’s mother, Carmen Cruz, did her best to advocate for her daughter, speaking to the principal and other school officials.

“I didn’t know English very well, I didn’t know the rules of the schools,” she told the outlet.

hartford high school exterior — “While Hartford Public Schools cannot comment on pending litigation, we remain deeply committed to meeting the full range of needs our students bring with them when they enter our schools,” Hartford Public Schools said in a statement to CNN. Youtube/WTNH News8

“There were a lot of things that they would tell me, and I let myself go by what the teachers would
tell me because I didn’t understand anything.”

By the 11th grade, Ortiz began taking matters into her own hands and started speaking up for herself, which led her teachers to suggest she get tested for dyslexia.

Just one month before graduation, she began receiving the testing, which was not completed until the last day of high school, the lawsuit states.

The testing concluded that Ortiz was in fact dyslexic and “required explicitly taught phonics, fluency and reading comprehension.”

School district officials told Ortiz she could defer accepting her diploma and receive intensive services, she alleges.

“While Hartford Public Schools cannot comment on pending litigation, we remain deeply committed to meeting the full range of needs our students bring with them when they enter our schools —
and helping them reach their full potential,” Hartford Public Schools said in a statement to CNN.

Ortiz, who dreams of becoming a writer, is currently attending the University Connecticut as a full-time student, although she hasn’t been to classes since Feb. 1 in order to get mental health treatment.

To complete her college assignments, she is relying on apps that translate text to speech and speech to text, as she did in high school.

The apps gave “me a voice that I never thought I had,” she said.

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Connecticut

Iranian Yale scholar in Connecticut celebrates fall of regime, calls for free elections

Published

12 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Iranian Yale scholar in Connecticut celebrates fall of regime, calls for free elections

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Thousands of Connecticut families with ties to Iran are watching and waiting as their home country undergoes a historic change.

Among them is Ramin Ahmadi, a Yale doctor, human rights activist and founder of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. He has spent decades advocating for freedom in Iran from his home in Connecticut.

Ahmadi moved to the United States when he was 18. On Saturday morning, he learned of military strikes in Iran and the death of the country’s supreme leader.

Ahmadi said protests for democracy and human rights in Iran intensified in December, drawing millions of participants — including his own family and friends.

“The situation in Iran was a humanitarian emergency and it needed an intervention,” Ahmadi said.

He said he celebrated when he heard the news Saturday morning.

“I was celebrating along with all other Iranians inside and outside the country,” Ahmadi said. “I do regret that we cannot bring him to a trial for crimes that he has committed against humanity.”

Ahmadi said he spoke with his sister in Iran after she celebrated in the streets. She was later told to return home for her safety.

He shared a message she relayed from those around her.

“They said do not let our death be exploited because worse than that is having to live with the criminals who have done this to us for the rest of our lives,” Ahmadi said. “We do not want to do that.”

For those questioning whether the conflict was America’s to engage in, Ahmadi offered a direct response.

“We will all be affected,” he said. “And to those that tell you that the U.S. and Israel are beating the drums of war in Iran, one has to remind them that it was not like before this Iranian people were listening to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor. We had a war already declared on us by this regime. We were being slaughtered on a daily basis.”

Ahmadi said he believes the path forward begins with young military officers forcing out what remains of the regime, followed by free elections.

“Everyone’s life will be safer in the future and not just Iranians,” Ahmadi said.

Connecticut lawmakers are also responding to the U.S. strikes on Iran.

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Connecticut

Two people shot in New Haven restaurant Saturday evening

Published

24 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Two people shot in New Haven restaurant Saturday evening

New Haven police say two people were shot at a restaurant on Grand Avenue Saturday evening.

One of the victims was a 22-year-old male from East Haven who was shot in the leg and was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment.

According to police, the second victim was a 17-year-old male and arrived shortly after.

While on scene, police confirmed one of the possible shooters was still inside the restaurant.

According to police, the victims were both inside the restaurant when the teen was approached by Naguea Bratton and another suspect.

They say a fight occurred which resulted in both victims being shot.

Police detained Bratton who was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, two counts of illegal possession of a high-capacity magazine and larceny of a motor vehicle.

Bratton is being held on a $200,000 bond.

Both victims have non-life-threatening injuries police say.

They say additional arrests are expected to be completed by warrant.

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Connecticut

27 Wrestlers Named State Open Wrestling Champions In Connecticut Over Weekend; Xavier Dominates Tournament

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

27 Wrestlers Named State Open Wrestling Champions In Connecticut Over Weekend; Xavier Dominates Tournament

Over the weekend, the two-day CIAC State Open wrestling championships took place at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven, Connecticut.

Twenty-seven wrestlers (14 boys, 13 girls) were named champions in their respective weight classes, displaying intense wrestling featuring the best wrestlers across the state.

Championship bouts started around 4:15 p.m. on Saturday and lasted about two hours.

Below are the results from both the boys’ and girls’ state open championships.

106 lbs.: Xavier’s Josh Perez def. Stafford’s John Bean 17-2 (technical fall)

113 lbs.: Ridgefield’s Cole Desiano def. Suffield/Windsor Locks’ Peter Annis 8-0 (decision)

120 lbs.: Xavier’s Zack Dixon def. Somers’ Will Acorsi 12-0 (majority decision)

126 lbs.: Windham’s Delmazio Despard def. Xavier’s Alexander Depratti 4-3 (decision)

132 lbs.: Fairfield Warde’s Jude Grammatico def. Xavier’s Zaphyr Musshorn 2-1 (decision)

138 lbs.: Ledyard’s Lukas Boxley def. Terryville’s Ethan Bochman Rodriguez (pin)

144 lbs.: Xavier’s Braylon Gonzalez def. Ridgefield’s John Carrozza 3-1 (decision)

150 lbs.: Bristol Central’s Alex Lamarre def. Middletown’s Isaiah McDaniel 1-0 (decision)

157 lbs.: Newtown’s Antonio Arguello def. Notre Dame-West Haven’s Riley Storozuk 8-4 (decision)

165 lbs.: Gilbert/Torrington/Wolcott def. Trumbull’s Hubert Szymko 2-0 (decision)

175 lbs.: Xavier’s Vincent Rivera def. Fairfield Prep’s Jack Lilly 14-10 (decision)

190 lbs.: Xavier’s Chase Catalano def. Fairfield Warde’s Dylan O’Brien 2-1 (decision)

215 lbs.: Lyme-Old Lyme’s Taiyo Gemme def. Staples’ Julian Rousseau (pin)

285 lbs.: Shelton’s Chase Galke def. Ellington’s Jacob Palermo 3-0 (decision)

100 lbs.: South Windsor’s Sophia Gordon def. West Haven’s Isha Khanna (pin)

107 lbs.: RHAM’s Brooke Heffernan def. New Milford’s Clara Reynolds 9-2 (decision)

114 lbs.: Branford’s Ava Gambardella def. Jonathan Law’s Selena Batres 6-0 (decision)

120 lbs.: Trumbull’s Jillian Blake def. Fairfield Warde’s Monica Flores Romero 17-1 (technical fall)

126 lbs.: Ellis Tech’s Adelina Tate def. Fairfield Ludlowe’s Ashlynn Cummings (pin)

132 lbs: Amity’s Eliana Selaris def. Daniel Hand’s Evely Lavigne (pin)

138 lbs.: Stratford’s Winner Tshibombi def. Greenwich’s Gaby Aliaga 22-8 (majority decision)

145 lbs.: Stratford’s Gabriella Kiely def. New Milford’s Josephina Piel (pin)

152 lbs: Bunnell’s Matilda Tote def. Shelton’s Ella Piccirillo (pin)

165 lbs: Trumbull ‘s Marangelie Teixeira def. New Britain’s Kaydence Atkinson (pin)

185 lbs.: Platt’s Kayli Morris def. Bristol Central’s Shyann Bryan (pin)

235 lbs.: Norwalk’s Jeily Euceda def. Maloney’s Arianna Bellamy (pin)

Xavier High School (Middletown, CT) has been the most dominant wrestling program in the state in recent memory. Once again, they stole the show in the state opens, winning its fifth-straight state open title.

The Falcons had seven wrestlers compete out of the 14 state open titles in the boys’ division and had five winners with two runner-ups. As a team, they totaled 218.5 points, which was 72 more points than any other team.

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