Students sue school seeking changes
Lawsuit in federal court looks for transparency, different policies
A group of Oxford Community Schools students have filed a lawsuit in federal court aimed at forcing the school board and administration to make policy changes.
The suit, announced by their parents and filed by 20 students Friday in the Southern Division of the Eastern District of Michigan, does not seek monetary damages.
The suit names Nicholas Ejak, Oxford High School’s dean of students; Shawn Hopkins, Oxford counselor; current superintendent Kenneth Weaver; former superintendent Timothy Throne, and Oxford principal Steven Wolf as defendants.
The suit alleges school officials acted with deliberate indifference and created and/or increased the risk of a school shooting and that district officials engaged in a concerted cover story to deflect responsibility for the shooting last fall that killed four students and injured seven others.
“Unfortunately, the only way we will get total transparency and change will be through this lawsuit,” said
April Ventline, whose son, Lucas, is a plaintiff in the suit.
The suit asks the court to force school policy changes necessary to correct the district’s ongoing constitutional violations of civil rights under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“Putting our children’s’ names in a lawsuit is a desperate attempt to be heard,” said parent Alica Phelps. “We can’t work as a team with the school as it stands right now, so filing this lawsuit is a desperate attempt.”
“We are not seeking monetary damages; we are here because we desperately want policy changes,” said Andrea Jones, whose son, Griffin, is a plaintiff. “This
is the best way we could come up with to try and force their hand into doing the right thing.”
Among the list of demands in the suit the students want — a retraction of all statements made in the course of the district’s cover story after the shooting, proper training for administrators and staff, ending the practice of concealing and minimizing threats of violence and an independent and transparent third-party investigation.
Last month, the Oxford school board hired Varnum, a Grand Rapids based law firm, and Guidepost Solutions, a New Yorkbased investigations firm, to conduct an independent investigation.
The board turned down multiple offers from state Attorney General Dana Nessel to conduct an investigation paid for by the state. Nessel did not say what the cost would be.
“We are paying for this investigation with money that could be spent on mental health resources and security features for our students,” said Jones.
“Trust has been broken too many times in the 199 days since our world was shattered by their negligence,” said Lori Bourgeau, whose son, Mason, is a plaintiff. “Every time we think the school is taking a step in the right direction, we find out how wrong we are.”
The Oxford school district could not be reached for comment.