Parents file lawsuits against SC school district for sexual assaults in classroom
BOILING SPRINGS, S.C. (WSPA) – Two mothers have filed lawsuits against an Upstate school district alleging their children were sexually assaulted in the classroom.
The lawsuits were filed on June 6, 2022, against Spartanburg County School District Two.
The lawsuit alleged that two students were sexually assaulted by another classmate while in the computer lab at Shoally Creek Elementary School on November 5, 2021.
One of the parents emailed the then-principal, guidance counselor, and teacher stating that the two students were sexually assaulted.
The teacher replied that the children did inform her that a student could not keep his hands to himself, but that she had no idea he had touched them in private parts.
The lawsuits state that the principal and the guidance counselor did not respond.
It also stated that the teacher went out on maternity leave on February 2, 2022.
A substitute teacher took over the classroom on February 3, 2022.
On February 8, 2022, the same student and another student held a pencil near their crotches and stroked the pencil in a sexually suggestive manner while looking at the children.
The next day the parents had a phone conference meeting with the principal. She informed the parents that “she would take appropriate action to end the sexual assaults and disruptive behavior occurring in the classroom.”
On March 1, 2022, the lawsuit alleged that another student sexually assaulted one of the plaintiff’s children by grabbing his private parts on the playground.
The mother reported the incident to the substitute teacher.
After that incident, the child was assigned a seat next to or near three of the students who were accused of sexual assault.
Following the newly assigned seats, one of the students “consistently sexually assaulted” the child by grabbing his private parts.
Upon that information, the substitute teacher resigned on March 11, 2022.
The lawsuit stated that another substitute teacher took over the classroom on March 14, 2022.
On March 22, 2022, the mother found out that her child was seated at a table with those three students and emailed the principal asking that her child be seated away from them.
The principal responded with “Yes, done.”
On March 23, 2023, the child was taken to the doctor who recommended he stop attending Shoally Creek Elementary School.
After that information was released, the second substitute teacher resigned.
The Director of Education fro Spartanburg County School District Two confirmed that some assaults were documented in the school’s system.
The mother asked that her son be moved to another school within the district.
The lawsuit said that the request was never accepted.
According to records, the principal resigned from her position at the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
The following statement is from the children’s attorneys:
I am proud to represent these boys and their mothers. District 2 and Shoally Creek administration knew that certain students were acting inappropriately and were a danger to other students, but they chose not to do anything about it. Kids should be safe when they are at school, and my clients were not.Law Office of Tyler Rody
7NEWS reached out to Spartanburg County School District Two for a statement but has not received one.
The Law Office of Tyler Rody said they will be going to court in September.
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