Horry schools didn’t stop sexual harassment of North Myrtle Beach High student, suit says
The Horry County School District is accused of failing to stop a student from sexually harassing another student multiple times at North Myrtle Beach High school during the last school year, according to a new lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed on June 16. Both the parents and their child remain anonymous in the filing.
The school district does not comment on pending litigation, according to spokesperson Lisa Bourcier. A request by The Sun News for a comment from the parents’ attorney was not immediately returned.
The filing states that a sophomore student, listed as “Janie Doe” in the suit, was sexually harassed multiple times during the 2022-23 school year by a new student she tried to befriend.
Janie’s parents reported the harassment, which included sexual messages on Snapchat, threats, touching and advances, to law enforcement and the district on Nov. 15, the suit said.
According to the suit, the district repeatedly questioned Janie’s reports, and “engaged in victim blaming behavior.”
After reporting the harassment, Janie was suspended. Although it’s not clear what she was suspended for — the suit claims that the reason for her suspension was changed several times.
The district also claimed that the behavior was consensual, according to the suit.
Janie’s parents appealed the suspension, but a decision was never provided, according to the lawsuit.
The parents then requested Title IX accommodations to keep Janie separated from the other student. However, they were instructed to tell Janie to “stop being so emotional,” and go to class with the perpetrator, according to the suit.
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in any educational institution. The lawsuit claims that the school district violated Title IX for its “deliberate indifference” to the alleged sexual harassment.
The only accommodation provided by the school was to allow Janie to go to the library for the rest of the day, which was a violation of her IEP, an individual education plan for students with disabilities, the suit said.
On Dec. 7, the parents submitted a formal sexual harassment complaint form with the school district and requested a formal Title IX investigation.
The parents have not received an outcome of the investigation to date, according to the suit.
The district has not yet filed a response to the suit.
