Hamilton County Schools sued over sexually-explicit emails
A lawsuit filed against Hamilton County Schools accuses administrators of negligence after students at East Hamilton Middle School received sexuallyexplicit emails from an anonymous sender.
The suit was filed by the parents of a female student — identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit because she is a minor — who was allegedly targeted in the emails. It claims that on two occasions, the emails detailed fictitious sexual scenarios between Jane, who was 13 at the time of the incident, and the school’s art teacher.
The suit also claims Hamilton County Department of Education administrators were aware of the emails and failed to act.
“The lawsuit addresses important cybersecurity issues in our schools,” attorneys Eric Oliver and Justin Gilbert, who are representing Jane Doe, said in a joint emailed statement. “HCDE repeatedly failed to block external pornographic filth targeting middle schoolers inside their own school. Despite the parents’ repeated requests to block the content and source, HCDE did not do it, and the student’s name and likeness was repeatedly used in a fake and humiliating fashion.”
The lawsuit claims Jane Doe suffered distress and humiliation as a result of the emails.
“She could barely go to school, feeling as if 1,000 eyes were constantly upon her,” the lawsuit states.
On April 20, 2022, Jane Doe’s stepfather contacted then Community Superintendent Larrie Reynolds. According to the lawsuit, Reynolds said a student at Red Bank Middle School admitted to sending out the first email.
Reynolds said it was not known why the student sent it, the lawsuit states.
Administrators are accused in the lawsuit of negligence and failing to maintain control of the cybersecurity for minor students.
“Jane Doe was repeatedly and foreseeably injured,” the suit states. “Jane Doe’s parents, Janet Doe and John Doe, have sustained ‘bystander injury’ owing to witnessing the suffering of their minor daughter.”
Jane Doe is seeking $300,000 in damages. Her parents are also seeking $50,000 in damages each for infliction of emotional distress.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reached out to district officials for comment, but they did not reply by press time.