Stand with Ava Alice Coleman: Fight for Justice

The Milwaukee Public School Board of Directors sued me for breach of contract. On May 6, 2019, one of my 5th-Grade students spat in my face. The day had just started and all students were in the classroom accounted for. However, before I could take attendance, I noticed that one of the students had a pair of my scissors that usually remain on my desk. I slid the scissors away from this student, and told him that if there was anything on or behind my desk that he needed, I would let him use it but he would have to ask first. I stood there for about thirty seconds, and he didn't say anything. So, I put the scissors back where they belonged and asked everyone to open their reading books.

Instead of taking out his reading book and opening to the correct page, he flipped his desk over. I calmly took his hands and attempted to help him lift his desk upright. The student pulled away from me, stormed out of the classroom, and slammed the door. I let him go, because I had a classroom full of students who were ready for the reading lesson. About 10-15 minutes passed before I heard keys unlocking the door to my classroom and the principal ushered the student back inside the classroom and told me that he had to stay in the room. She did not contact his parent/guardian. She just ushered him in, told him to have a seat at his desk (which he refused to do), and left, closing the door behind her.

At this point, this student sat in an elevated chair that I kept near the door of the classroom. He picked up a stack of his classmates' work and began flinging them around the door, one-by-one. I asked him to stop, and he refused. I walked over to him and calmly took the work from his hands, and escorted him out of the classroom. He cursed and shouted at me, and I told him that if he did not want to be there, he should go to the office and call his mom to come get him. He told me to call his mom. I told him that I have a class to teach and that he could go to the office and they would call his mom. He said, "NO! LET ME USE YOUR PHONE TO CALL MY MOMMA!"--For context, there was a classroom phone, but there was no receiver attached... I guess that wasn't important--I told him that he did not pay my phone bill, and if he'd like to call his mom he could go to the office.

We stood there for a few moments, and he had a look on his face as if he were thinking of what to do next. Then he spat in my face. My vision had gone blurry and I took one step toward him because I could barely see. My hearing started to be muffled. The next thing I remember is hearing the principal calling my name. She called my name again and I began to hear her clearly as I squinted, looking down the hall to my right to see who it was. She told me, "Ms. Coleman I got it from here. You can go back to your classroom." I went back inside the classroom, and it was time to transition to the next class. I escorted my class to their next activity, and I called my sister who advised me to leave the premises.

Over the next few days, I would hear from the classroom assistant that the boy had not been suspended. When I returned to work two days later, the boy had still not been suspended, and they would not remove him from my class. He continued to threaten to spit in my face again, and I knew I could no longer work for Milwaukee Public Schools. That same semester I had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was prescribed a medication to treat it. I took the medication as directed for the next three years, until I had a miscarriage due to that medication (I have since been prescribed something different after that).

I believed my ordeal was over until papers were delivered to my father's house in the fall of 2023. I have been battling with the Milwaukee Public School Board of Directors, none of which ever appeared in the courthouse, since October 11, 2023. Finally, on May 30, 2024, I lost my appeal, because although I quit due to the actions of the school administrators, the contract only specified that the two reasons someone could leave the district without paying $2000.00 were retirement or being rendered unable to teach.

As for the amount, "The plaintiff, Milwaukee Board Of School Directors Dba Milwaukee Public Schools, shall recover from the defendant, Ava Alice Coleman, the amount of $2000.00 plus costs taxed at $196.50 plus statutory attorney fees of $300.00 for a total sum of $2,496.50."

My only regret is staying long enough to develop hypertension that led to the death of my baby. I am asking for your help paying with monetary funds, what I have already paid in blood. If you are unable to donate, please share my story.