Roland-Story CSD sued by family over handling of 2022 assault case

Posted: Sep 19, 2023 / 10:03 PM CDT

Updated: Sep 20, 2023 / 03:37 PM CDT

ROLAND, Iowa — The family of a former Roland-Story high school student has filed a lawsuit against the school district, according to court filings.

In January of 2022, a R-S student was charged as an adult with felony assault after he was accused of penetrating a fellow student with a pencil after the victim’s clothes were forcibly taken off. The assault occurred inside the victim’s home. The student later took a plea deal that moved the case to juvenile court where he pleaded guilty on December 12, 2022.

The victim’s family is suing the Roland-Story School District over how school officials handled the allegations after they were made aware of the assault in April that same year.

Specifically, the suit alleges the victim of the assault was not given accommodations to ensure separation from the accused while attending classes after the report was known by school officials. The suit also alleges that the accused was given special treatment by the district, allowing him to return to competition.

A week later, the accused student and the district reached an agreement he would not participate in athletics for the remainder of the school year.

After reviewing the case, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission issued a right-to-sue letter on June 30 of this year, allowing the suit to advance.

The family is requesting a jury trial to decide the six counts alleged in the lawsuit including: