Stephen Opayemi, a native of Nigeria, filed a lawsuit against a Connecticut elementary school on Tuesday for allegedly discriminating against his seven-year-old by restricting her from attending school for 21 days after she attended a wedding in Nigeria.
According to Reuters, the lawsuit says the third-grader, Ikeoluwa Opayemi, traveled with her father, Stephen Opayemi, to and from Lagos, Nigeria, from October 2 through October 13. The suit, which was filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), alleges that Ikeoluwa Opayemi was told not to return to school until November 3. Her family says she has no symptoms consistent with Ebola and is currently in fine health.
The lawsuit, Ikeoluwa Opayemi v. Milford Public Schools and City of Milford, states that a city health official said although the risk of Ikeoluwa infecting anyone was low, she should be quarantined “because of rumors, panic and the climate of the school,” reports Reuters.
According to the student’s mother, Ikeolapo Opayemi, the family has lived in Milford, Connecticut, for over six years.