Cimarron-Ensign USD, principal sued
A southwest Kansas high school girl is suing a school district and school principal over her claims of sexual harassment from a classmate that she said were not addressed by school authroities.
The suit lodged this month in U.S. District Court names Cimarron-Ensign USD 102 and Jara Wilson, principal of Cimarron Junior/Senior High School. The plaintiffs are identified as Jane Doe B.A., a minor, and through her mother, Mary Doe R.J.
The district and Wilson were served Sept. 10 and have until Oct.1 to respond. Superintendent Mike Stegman declined to comment on the charges of sex discrimination and negligent supervision of children.
The plaintiffs assert, in part:
-During the 2016-2017 school year when Jane Doe was in Grade 8, a student identified as H.R. touched her inappropriately on occasions.
-H.R. said he had had sex with Jane Doe’s mother in a local hotel and wanted to have sex with her.
-He called Jane Doe “‘a slut'” when she did not want to be his girlfriend.
-In spring 2017, students started false rumors about Jane Doe having sex and sending nude photos of herself.
-During a class on May 4, 2017, in the school library, H.R. accessed Google Drive to create a group chat and commented on Jane Doe. She read the words and began crying in class.
-Jane Doe reported H.R.’s harassment and bullying to a woman school counselor and two women teachers that day. Later, boys in the auditorium and at track practice called Jane Doe “‘snitch.’” When Mary Doe picked up her daughter that day, the girl was crying uncontrollably.
“They went immediately to the Principal’s office to report the harassment and bullying.”
-Mary Doe told Principal Wilson that day that Jane Doe had been subjected to sexual harassment and bullying for six months. Wilson advised the plaintiff to “‘lay low’” and “‘wait it out over the summer.’”
-On May 5, 2017, Mary Doe sent a letter to Wilson detailing the sexual harassment and bullying her daughter experienced during the eighth grade. She copied the letter to school board members.
-For2017-2018, Jane Doe enrolled in another nearby school district. She continued to experience harassment and retaliation from the same students at Cimarron when they were at sports events. Cimarron students also tried to contact her friends at her new high school to spread false rumors.
-Jane Doe missed school due to the anxiety, depression, and stress caused by USD 102. was stalked by the students who harassed and retaliated against her, and was subjected to intimidation, insults, and a death threat. The school district failed to stop or even try to deter the students harassing Jane Doe.
Sarah Brown, an attorney with the plaintiffs' law firm Brown & Curry, Kansas City, Missouri, said the claims are about how the school district handled the reported behavior. “They’ve known about it,” she said. Brown did not know if the boys, identified by theri initials in the suit, still attended school in Cimarron.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $75,000 and for legal expenses.
The News was unable to reach the attorney for USD 102, Michael Norris, with Norris & Keplinger, Overland Park, on Friday.