A Second-Grader’s Year of Trauma (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Las Vegas – Parents of three elementary schoolgirls have launched a federal lawsuit against the Clark County School District, claiming repeated sexual assaults and physical attacks occurred unchecked at a northwest valley campus.[1][2]
A Second-Grader’s Year of Trauma
One girl faced more than 15 sexual assaults from a male classmate during the 2023-24 school year, the lawsuit alleged. The incidents took place on school property, including in a second-grade classroom taught by Gregory Severts.[1]
The victim, identified as I.W. in court filings, disclosed the abuse to her mother around April 26, 2024. The classmate had touched her private parts multiple times a week. Court documents claimed at least three other second-grade girls suffered similar abuse from the same boy. Another parent reported an incident to Severts in March 2024, when the boy offered to return a paper in exchange for touching her daughter’s genitals. Counselor Lori Clark later confirmed the boy admitted to the acts. Despite this, administrators allegedly took no immediate steps to halt the behavior.
Inadequate Safeguards Allowed Abuse to Continue
Principal Kristy Muffoletto and former vice principal Dina Meyer interviewed affected families at the end of April 2024. During one session, I.W. had to recount the assaults in detail, causing further distress, according to the complaint. School officials then moved the boy to a different classroom and implemented no-contact contracts along with individualized safety plans for him and the victims.
These measures proved insufficient. The assaults on I.W. persisted through the final two months of the school year until the boy’s family relocated out of state. The lawsuit described the response as wholly inadequate to shield the girls from ongoing harm. I.W. now battles post-traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety that triggers full-body hives, school phobia, and challenges processing the trauma despite intensive therapy.[1]
Physical Attacks on the Sisters
The family’s two other daughters also endured violence at Scherkenbach Elementary School. Kindergartener C.W. suffered an attack on December 16, 2024, when a boy hurled a chair across the classroom, threw her backpack, and punched the back of her head.
After visiting the nurse, school administrators directed the nurse not to notify C.W.’s parents about the incident, the filing stated. The girl developed intense school anxiety and now requires trauma therapy. The eldest sister, L.W., faced years of bullying from students and staff starting in 2021. This escalated to a physical assault on a school bus in spring 2024.[2]
Accusations of Systemic Neglect
The February 13 lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, named CCSD, former superintendent Jesus Jara, Muffoletto, Meyer, Clark, and Severts – now a librarian at Indian Springs Schools – as defendants. It accused them of neglecting protective actions despite awareness of widespread sexual abuse, violence, and harassment in district schools.
The parents seek a jury trial. CCSD has declined to comment on the pending litigation. The complaint highlighted a pattern of failures that left vulnerable children exposed.[1]
Key Takeaways from the Lawsuit:
- More than 15 sexual assaults on one second-grader by a classmate during 2023-24 school year.
- Physical assaults on two sisters, including a covered-up head punch and bus attack.
- Alleged inadequate school responses, from no initial action to ineffective safety plans.
This case underscores persistent safety concerns in public schools, where young students rely on adults for protection. Families continue to demand accountability amid reports of unchecked aggression. What do you think about these allegations? Share in the comments.[1]
