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A former student is going after Westfield Washington Schools in federal court. She says the school district in Hamilton County did nothing to protect her from “relentless racist bullying.”
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on Thursday filed the lawsuit on behalf of the former student.
She was a seventh-grader at Westfield Middle School in 2020, when the alleged abuse happened. The school is at 345 W. Hoover St., on the district’s campus of schools just northeast of U.S. 31 and State Road 32.
The lawsuit says the student endured explicit comparisons to a monkey, and routine use of a racial slur.
The lawsuit shows the student’s parents reported abuse numerous times and administrators told them they filed multiple police reports.
The lawsuit also claims Westfield Police Department has no such records.
The student’s parents ended up enrolling their child in an online school.
In a statement issued late Thursday afternoon, the school superintendent says the district is aware of the lawsuit but has yet to be served with a copy.
Click here to read a copy of the complaint.
Statement from Superintendent Paul A. Kaiser
Kaiser
“Though we are aware of a lawsuit filed against Westfield Washington Schools, we have yet to be served.
“Westfield Washington Schools has always strived to be a place where all students can achieve academic and social success. We’ve put an emphasis on cultivating an environment where all students feel safe, seen and valued.
“We are committed to creating a positive and welcoming environment for every student who walks through our halls. For every one of our district families, we will continue on this journey to expand our perspectives and work together to make our school district a place where every student knows they belong and can achieve their goals.”