Independence High School Freshman Sexually Assaulted, School 'Deliberately Indifferent': Lawsuit

FRANKLIN, TN — The parents of a 14-year-old Independence High School freshman allege their daughter was sexually assaulted by another student on campus and that Williamson County Schools have failed to address the matter.

In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, the parents, identified as Jane and John Doe, say their daughter "Janie" was pulled into a boys locker room by "JJ," an Independence sophomore during rehearsal for a school play in October 2016. The suit says JJ sexually assaulted Janie. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

The girl immediately texted her two best friends but did not otherwise report the assault immediately to school officials until February 2016, when, the suit claims, JJ performed a skit in theater class echoing the events of the assault and titled the skit "Janie," who then reported the October incident to the theater instructor, the school's ninth-grade vice-principal and principal.

The suit says Janie gave a written statement and that per district procedures, the principal is required to contact the Coordinator of Student and Employee Relations, but that step was not taken in this case, according to the filing.

The Does were told the school would investigate and that IHS officials did contact police and remove JJ from the theater class. In addition, they spoke to Janie's two friends and JJ was questioned by the school's administration. But, according to the lawsuit, the investigation then ground to a halt.

In March, the Does said they sent a letter to Director of Schools Mike Looney via their attorney asking for an update into the investigation. The next month, Looney responded via the school board providing document about the investigation but no status update.

Patch reached out to the district for comment, but received no response. Looney told WKRN Thursday he hadn't been served with the suit.

Further, the Does allege the school's surveillance footage from the day of the assault has been deleted.

The Does are seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

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