A Croswell-Lexington High School student and their parents have filed a federal lawsuit against the district, its superintendent Daniel Gilbertson, and high school principal Kyle Wood, alleging that the student had suffered multiple racially motivated threats, taunts and assaults from fellow students, as well as faculty and staff members.
In their lawsuit, the student’s parents allege an extensive history of abuse their Black daughter faced at the school since 2018, documenting instances in which they contacted Gilbertson and Wood to plead for their daughter’s safety as her classmates threatened to “rip her wig off,” and called her racial slurs. The suit claims that in most cases, the administrators allegedly promised action and did nothing, with Gilbertson allegedly telling the parents at one point that he “did not believe the school could keep their daughter safe.” The lawsuit also alleges further harassment from faculty members.
Following a school board meeting in November 2021 to attempt to address the issue, the school district allegedly took no action, despite “reaffirm[ing] the commitment” they have to the existing anti-discrimination policy.
In a letter sent home to parents Tuesday, Superintendent Gilbertson insisted that the district thoroughly investigates, addresses and punishes anyone found violating their anti-discrimination policy.
You can read the lawsuit in full here:
