Tacoma school district employee, son sue after attack during camp

TACOMA — The University Place School District failed to protect a student who was attacked and targeted based on his gender and perceived sexual orientation during a sixth-grade camp, prompting him to leave the school, according to a lawsuit.

The boy and his mother, who is a district employee, sued the district this month in Pierce County Superior Court, alleging that the University Place School District was negligent in not preventing the assault and harassment from other students, court records show.

“The district has an obligation to protect students under their care and control,” attorney Thad Martin, who is representing the plaintiffs, told The News Tribune. “And they failed in this case.”

‘Repeated’ harassment

In a statement, superintendent Jeff Chamberlin said the University Place School District had yet to be formally served with the suit but the district “strongly dispute(d)” all of the claims.

“Because student safety is our first priority and greatest responsibility, we take all allegations of threats and harassment seriously, including the allegations set forth in this lawsuit,” Chamberlin said. “School administrators were notified of these allegations shortly after the conclusion of camp and responded promptly.”

During the week of April 10, the student — who went to Narrows View Intermediate School — was physically attacked while attending camp under the district’s supervision at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor, according to the lawsuit.

The suit, which was filed July 12, claimed that the student was subjected to “repeated and constant” discriminatory treatment, teasing and retaliation after he was assaulted.

Martin said the student withdrew from the school for the remainder of the school year, and it is uncertain whether he’d return in the fall.