Eight-Year-Old Reported an Anti-Turkish Insult. Boca Prep Restrained and Expelled Her, Lawsuit Alleges.

Earlier that day, a classmate had made an anti-Turkish remark. E.A. became upset, but her older brother helped her calm down. She returned to class. Minutes later, Boca Prep summoned her to an administrator’s office. (Complaint ¶¶ 21–22.)

The classmate was waiting with his mother, a teacher, and the head of school. E.A.’s parents had not yet been contacted. The meeting began without them, and the school did not call them until well into it. According to the complaint, no adult advocated for E.A. Another third-grader, who spoke limited Turkish, was asked to interpret. (Complaint ¶¶ 22–23.)

The school knew E.A. was still learning English. Before enrolling her, her parents had repeatedly asked whether that would prevent her from succeeding. School representatives assured them it would not. But in this meeting, her English became something she had to defend. The classmate denied making the remark. His mother allegedly mocked E.A.’s English and questioned how she could have understood him. E.A. understood what was being said. She could not defend herself as fluently as the adults. The complaint describes her as humiliated and alone. (Complaint ¶¶ 14–15, 24.)

She became physically ill and left the meeting. That was how she ended up behind the locked stall door. (Complaint ¶ 25.)

Frightened by the threat to call the fire department, E.A. opened the stall and tried to escape. An adult tried to stop her. In panic, she pulled away and attempted to bite. The complaint alleges that staff and security pursued her, seized her arms, wrists, and legs, and restrained her with enough force to leave bruises. She fell and injured her knee. Two days later, an urgent-care provider documented bruising and diagnosed an injury to her forearm. (Complaint ¶¶ 26–28.)

The school’s safety explanation is part of the dispute.

Boca Prep’s withdrawal notice later described aggressive conduct and asserted that the school could not safely accommodate her. The family alleges that the notice left out the confrontation, the restroom encounter, and the threat that preceded the restraint. Their lawsuit challenges the school’s use of that response to justify expelling the child. (Complaint ¶¶ 27, 30–33.)

After roughly two months at Boca Prep, E.A. lost her place at the school. The school kept the full year’s tuition and enrollment fee, the complaint alleges. The classmate who allegedly made the anti-Turkish remark remained enrolled without comparable discipline. (Complaint ¶¶ 34–35.)

The alleged harm continued after she left.

At her replacement school, E.A. earned straight A’s and conduct marks describing her behavior as “very constructive to learning,” according to the psychologist’s report cited in the complaint. The family relies on that record to challenge Boca Prep’s safety explanation. It does not establish that she has recovered. (Complaint ¶ 45.)

The complaint describes nightmares, intrusive memories, disturbed sleep, and renewed distress at reminders of Boca Prep. When a psychologist asked E.A. how she felt about her former school, she began crying and could not continue. The psychologist recommended long-term trauma-focused care across multiple stages of her development. Her family seeks damages for the injuries it alleges continue and the care she will need. (Complaint ¶¶ 42–44, 49(b)–(c).)

What the lawsuit seeks

Yasin and Hatice Aksu brought the action on behalf of their daughter, identified as E.A. to protect her privacy. Yasin Aksu also asserts claims individually. The defendants are Boca Raton Preparatory School, Inc., doing business as Boca Prep International School; SEK Institutional Communications, Corporation; and Carissa Karakaedos, the head of school during the events. (Complaint, caption; ¶¶ 6–10.)

The notice also accused E.A.’s parents of withholding behavioral information and accommodation needs. The parents dispute that accusation. They allege they disclosed all medical and behavioral information known to them before enrollment and that the school used the incident as a pretext for discriminatory expulsion. (Complaint ¶¶ 18–19, 30–33.)

The complaint states that an August 2025 psychological evaluation found E.A.’s presentation consistent with posttraumatic stress disorder following the October 18 events. The family also alleges replacement-schooling, transportation, and immigration-related expenses arising from the disruption to her enrollment. (Complaint ¶¶ 40–44.)

The complaint asserts claims for battery, false imprisonment, negligence, breach of contract, and interference with equal contractual rights based on Turkish ethnicity under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The plaintiffs seek compensatory damages, consequential damages on the contract claim, applicable fees and costs, interest, and a jury trial. (Complaint, Counts I–V and jury demand, pp. 13–21.)

The action is pending in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Palm Beach County, Florida, Case No. 50-2026-CA-010873-XXXA-MB. (September 28, 2026 case management order.)