In June 2023, six families filed a federal lawsuit against the Rockwall Independent School District in Texas, alleging that the district was negligent in allowing a sixth-grade boy to sexually assault multiple kindergarten girls at Amy Parks-Heath Elementary School.
According to the lawsuit, the district had implemented an unauthorized program that allowed sixth-grade students to go to kindergarten classrooms to help the younger students with reading and math. The lawsuit alleges that the district was aware that the sixth-grade boy had a history of behavioral problems, but that they allowed him to participate in the program anyway.
The lawsuit also alleges that the district failed to properly supervise the sixth-grade boy and that they did not take any action to protect the kindergarten girls from him. The lawsuit alleges that the district’s negligence led to the sexual assaults of the kindergarten girls.
The district has denied any wrongdoing and has stated that it is committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. The lawsuit is still pending, and it is unclear how it will be resolved.
The Amy Parks-Heath Elementary lawsuit is a reminder of the importance of school districts taking steps to protect students from sexual abuse. School districts should have policies and procedures in place to screen and supervise staff and volunteers, and they should provide training on sexual abuse prevention to all staff and students. School districts should also have a system in place for reporting and investigating allegations of sexual abuse.
If you are a parent or guardian of a child in public school, you can help to protect your child from sexual abuse by talking to them about sexual abuse prevention and by knowing the signs and symptoms of sexual abuse. You can also contact your child’s school to find out about their policies and procedures for protecting students from sexual abuse.
