WINNSBORO, Texas — A federal lawsuit alleges that Winnsboro ISD ignored multiple events of verbal, physical and disability-based bullying toward a seventh grade student and officials retaliated against the students' parents by banning them from campus and making several false statements.
In a complaint filed July 17 in federal court, the mother and father are suing Winnsboro ISD as well as the board of trustees and the board members Duncan McAdoo, Brandon Green, Stacy "Chip" Brown, Jay Murdock, Kristie Amason, Billy Saucier and Brian Busby individually.
According to the lawsuit, the student who has a disability dealt with at least six incidents of serious verbal and physical sex-based and disability-based harassment and other actions by two WISD students. The document states that these incidents were reported to school officials and leaders at least 12 times via phone, in-person, by email or through public comment at school board meetings.
The lawsuit claims the school district failed to investigate and resolve the complaints that the parents reported. But instead officials engaged in an "intentional, organized, ongoing campaign to stalk and retaliate" against the family, which they say caused "fear, anxiety and severe emotional distress."
The family's lawsuit states the actions from Winnsboro ISD violated Title IX, the American with Disabilities Act and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The student withdrew from WISD and enrolled into another school district because of Winnsboro ISD and board members' actions and lack of action, the document read.
Incidents of bullying and harassment toward the student were being the target of sexually explicit language, getting physically assaulted multiple times and being shown sexually explicit images. The lawsuit said the parents believe their child was targeted because of their disability and other students thinking the child was shy and weak.
Parents cited several instances of reporting what happened to their child to staff and leadership, but they said the complaints were not investigated. Instead, the family received retaliation and became the "targets of some hostile community members."
Allegations of retaliation against the family include making false statements verbally and in writing several times to WISD employees, the school board and the Texas Education Agency along with wrongfully suspending the student's mother from her job at Winnsboro ISD and filing false allegations that could've impacted her teaching certification. The mother was also banned from campus at one point.
The student's father was wrongfully issued a trespass warning, which stopped him from attending several school-related events for his children. The lawsuit states school leaders filed false complaints with his employer and he was also banned from Winnsboro ISD.
The family is seeking to have a jury trial and looking to receive damages from that trial. CBS19 has reached out to Winnsboro ISD for comment. We have not heard back yet.