Court: Dismiss sex harassment lawsuit against School Board

A federal magistrate judge says the Monroe County School Board deserves to win a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a family of a second grader who accused school officials of ignoring complaints of groping, butt-slapping and verbal abuse by a classmate.

“The School Board was not deliberately indifferent,” to the allegations, wrote Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, in a 23-page recommendation for summary judgment in favor of the board.

Most of the alleged physical harassment happened on the school bus and the principal and assistant principal of Stanley Switlik elementary school responded to the matter with a plan to keep the two children separated, Goodman wrote.

Jane Doe no. 53’s parents, who are representing themselves in the suit filed May 11, 2015 at the U.S. District Court in Key West, didn’t file a motion fighting the summary judgment request.

Judge Jose Martinez will have the final word on the case.

The girl’s family, unidentified on the public docket, claim that between second and fifth grade, 2011-2015, a boy named only as “A.R.” groped the girl’s breasts, buttocks and vagina over her clothes, in a pattern of harassment.

At one point, the Marathon police issued a juvenile citation to A.R. and ordered him to stay away from her.

This story was originally published July 24, 2017 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Court: Dismiss sex harassment lawsuit against School Board."