INDIANAPOLIS — Roncalli High School, and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, are being sued by the family of a former student.
That former student, being referred to as “John Doe” in the lawsuit, has down syndrome.
The boy’s mother says in 2019, he was bullied and harassed by some Roncalli football players, as they recorded him peeing in the bathroom and posted the video on social media. She went to the dean of students, and she says the only punishment that was handed down was the video being deleted and the football player getting detention, but still being allowed to play the game that weekend.
The bullying continued. The players are also accused of making the boy lick another boy’s nipple.
John Doe’s mother says the school did nothing serious about the bullying and harassment, so she pulled him from Roncalli and its “hostile and unsafe environment.”
The lawsuit says Roncalli violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide the boy an education in an environment free from discrimination.
The Archdiocese of Indiana said in a statement Thursday afternoon:
We were made aware of an incident that occurred between students in September 2019 as was extensively reported by the media in late 2019. Roncalli High School staff learned of the alleged incident and reported it to the Department of Child Protective Services. Roncalli and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis fully cooperated with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department during its investigation. No criminal charges were filed in the matter. In February 2020, the archdiocese received a letter from the plaintiff’s new lawyer advising the archdiocese that the plaintiff had secured new counsel. Until today’s filing the archdiocese never received any communication from counsel for the plaintiff. The safety and well-being of every student is of utmost importance to us. Roncalli High School offers an exceptional educational and faith formation experience in a safe, secure environment. The school’s special education program has served hundreds of students with disabilities in an exemplary manner. We continue to pray for all involved in this situation.
