CRAWFORD, Texas — The parents of a former Crawford ISD student filed a federal lawsuit in October accusing the school district of failing to address severe bullying, harassment and sexual assault their son reportedly experienced over a two-year period.
The lawsuit alleges that the student, who was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed medication that reportedly stunted his growth, was targeted because of his small stature and perceived lack of masculinity by the other students.
According to the filing, the reported abuse became daily for the student. It escalated from verbal taunts and spitting to physical assaults and acts of sexual violence, including incidents where his classmates reportedly restrained him in the locker room and urinated on him, the lawsuit alleges.
“He was the victim of epithets based upon disability and gender. He was told to kill himself so many times he considered it,” the lawsuit continues.
Despite multiple complaints to teachers and administrators, including Crawford High School Principal Monte Pritchett and Assistant Principal William Mayfield, the lawsuit alleges no meaningful action was taken to protect their son.
“Their concerns about [the student] being an object of derision was well-known” by his teachers and “especially Mayfield… and Pritchett,” the lawsuit states. “Once again, not one of them did anything to address the problem as required by the jurisprudence on the topic and School Board Policies & Procedures.”
Eventually, the family removed the student from CISD to escape what the lawsuit describes as a “hostile environment” to preserve his physical and emotional well-being.
Claims of Legal Violations
The lawsuit outlines several legal violations, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. It also claims CISD violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide a safe and non-hostile educational environment for a student with ADHD.
The complaint further accuses CISD of neglecting its obligations under the Fourteenth Amendment. “The School Board failed to ensure that [the student] was able to enjoy such rights,” it states, adding that staff members displayed “professional bad faith or gross misjudgment” in their handling of [his] situation.
Ongoing Harassment and Retaliation
Even after the boy switched schools, the harassment allegedly continued, with former classmates targeting him through social media and in-person encounters. The lawsuit describes one incident on his birthday this year, during which classmates rode by his home shouting profanities.
“The bullies and abusers from the old school have now begun to threaten others like they did to [him] calling it ‘getting Crawforded,’” the filing states.
The complaint also highlights the emotional toll on the family, who were allegedly outcasted by their community.
“The family...became ostracized in their community to the point that they cannot go to the park, a restaurant, or the new snow-cone shop without the little whispers, stares, and silent treatments from lifelong friends and community members,” the document claims.
School District's Response
Overall, the lawsuit seeks damages for the student's physical and emotional suffering, loss of educational opportunities, and related expenses.
“The foregoing acts and omissions of Crawford Independent School District, taken separately and/or collectively, jointly and severally, constitute a direct and proximate cause of the injuries and damages set forth herein,” the lawsuit concludes.
When 6 News called the school district for comment on the lawsuit, Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Hall provided the following statement:
"In reference to your call earlier requesting a statement about a complaint in District Court naming Crawford ISD, my only statement will be that we will not provide a comment on pending litigation," Hall sent in an email to 6 News.
This is a developing story. Follow 6 News for updates.