Teacher ‘relentlessly publicly humiliated’ 5th grader who died by suicide, would ‘recruit’ other students to taunt him: Lawsuit

The parents of a Florida 5th grader who took his ain beingness aft allegedly being bullied by a teacher, who is accused of recruiting different students to mock the boy, person sued the schoolhouse territory wherever she worked.

Louis Johnson III died by termination successful April 2023, astatine the property of 10, according to a wrongful-death suit filed successful aboriginal April by his parents, Louis Johnson Jr. and Tyka Johnson. The suit says that Louis was subjected to utmost bullying, sometimes led by a unit member, Louis’ ain teacher Donna White.

“Ms. White constantly, consistently, and relentlessly publically humiliated insignificant kid Louis Johnson, III successful beforehand of this peers, calling him ‘stupid’ and ridiculing him successful beforehand of his classmates connected respective occasions implicit the span of months,” the ailment says. White besides allegedly “would besides enlistee different students to ridicule insignificant kid Louis Johnson III and inquire these different insignificant pupil classmates to hold with her comments that Louis Johnson, III was ‘stupid’ and that helium ‘didn’t cognize anything.'”

The schoolhouse territory “allowed [White’s] behaviour to proceed for a play of astatine slightest 3 — 4 months anterior to his death,” the ailment adds. The parents accidental their pleas to the schoolhouse astir White — and asking the territory to intervene connected their son’s behalf — fell connected deaf ears.

The schoolhouse board, they say, “did thing to forestall oregon close her behavior.”

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Collectively, it each added up to intolerable conditions for Louis astatine school, the parents say.

At the hands of White and the schoolhouse board, Louis “suffered specified intelligence distress that it manifested itself into carnal distress, including thoughts of suicide, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, crying, nightmares, fear, anguish and embarrassment,” according to the ailment As a result, Louis died by termination “after enduring months of bullying and nationalist embarrassment” caused by White and the schoolhouse board, the ailment alleges.

According to a study by section ABC affiliate WCJB, an interior study by the schoolhouse territory determined that White had inflicted important intelligence distress connected respective students with her behavior.

Within months of Louis’ death, the schoolhouse announced that White’s declaration would not beryllium renewed.

The grieving parents’ claims see negligence, negligent infliction of affectional distress, and negligent supervision by the schoolhouse board. Court records did not bespeak a aboriginal tribunal date.

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