A former New Jersey special education teacher has been accused of recording and posting a video online that mocked an 8-year-old student with learning disabilities — and now, the child’s mother is taking legal action.
A lawsuit filed in August in Bergen County Superior Court names Jaclyn Vanore, a former special education teacher at Lindbergh Elementary School in Palisades Park, as a defendant, along with the school and the Palisades Park Board of Education.
According to the complaint, the child — identified as M.G. — was an 8-year-old third grader in November 2022 when Vanore allegedly instructed her to say “4QK.” Because of the girl’s speech impediment, the phrase reportedly sounded like “f*** you gay,” which phonetically resembled a vulgar slur targeting the LGBTQIA+ community. The lawsuit states that M.G. did not understand the phrase’s meaning.
Without M.G.’s knowledge or consent, Vanore allegedly recorded the incident on her personal device and posted it to Facebook and Instagram. The video, according to the filing, showed the girl — a disabled minor — repeating the manipulated phrase in what appeared to be a school setting, “portraying her in a false and defamatory light to the public.”
The lawsuit describes the recording and posting as a “blatant act of discrimination and exploitation” of a child with disabilities, claiming it subjected her to public ridicule, emotional harm, and reputational damage. It further accuses Vanore and the other defendants of failing to prevent or address such conduct, fostering a hostile environment that deprived M.G. of “equal access to a safe, inclusive, and supportive education.”
The complaint says that as a result of the alleged conduct, M.G. has suffered “extreme emotional distress” and continues to require psychiatric counseling. It lists symptoms including panic attacks, nightmares, depression, anger, and loss of trust, claiming she has been on a “downward spiral” since the incident.
The video was allegedly shown again during a school meeting in September 2023, where it was displayed by recording one screen from another — suggesting it had circulated widely within the school community without the family’s knowledge. The complaint asserts that multiple people at the school, including at least one student, had access to or copies of the clip.
Vanore is accused of using her authority to discriminate against the child because of her disability, while the school and district “did nothing.” The lawsuit further claims the defendants knew about Vanore’s alleged mistreatment of students but failed to act.
“Their duty was to teach her. And instead, they exploited her. They embarrassed her,” attorney Rosemarie Arnold, who represents M.G.’s mother, told WNBC.
According to NJ.com, M.G., now in sixth grade, has since moved to Teaneck after leaving the district. Speaking to WNBC, she said she felt betrayed, recalling, “I was like, ‘What is going on?’”
The lawsuit lists claims of discrimination, negligence, and invasion of privacy.
In a statement obtained by WNBC, Arnold said the case “seeks accountability and protection for a vulnerable child whose speech disability was mocked and exploited by an adult entrusted with her care.” She added that the family was forced to move so M.G. could attend a new school and emphasized that the case aims to prevent similar “unprofessional and illegal conduct” in the future.
When contacted for comment, Vanore’s attorney and the Palisades Park School District did not respond.
Carl Albano, the district’s interim superintendent, told WNBC that Vanore resigned in March 2024 under a confidential settlement agreement, adding, “The District does not comment on pending litigation.”
