The Dallas Cowboys lead attorney Levi McCathern will now represent the family of a sixth grade black girl who alleges to have been dragged by three white boys who placed a rope around her neck.
The $3 million lawsuit accuses Live Oak Classical School in Waco, Texas of intentional infliction of emotional distress and gross negligence. The child–who is referred to as KP–was sent to the pricey private school by her mother so she could have a “better education” in a “wholesome learning environment.” However, one year later, the lawsuit claims the sixth grader encountered bullying at the school that was never addressed or disciplined.
An email sent in November alleges the boys repeatedly shoved her 12-year-old daughter. The school’s principal, Allison Buras, says she spoke to the students about the alleged incident, but claims the gesture was done in jest, and not to harm.
“It sounds like he may have pushed on the back of her leg to make her leg buckle, which is something the kids sometimes do,” Buras wrote. “Rarely is that done out of meanness but more out of a desire for sport.”
The school’s attorney David Deaconson says the complaints made by KP’s mother are simply not accurate. However, the meat and potatoes of the lawsuit stem from a field trip in April to Germer Ranch in Blanco County, where several students said they came across a swing with a long rope on it. It’s on the field trip where the lawsuit states KP was standing to the side of the swing and three boys pulled the rope, wrapped it around her neck and violently jerked her to the ground.
The school’s legal council, and school counselor Jeremy Counseller described what happened as an “accident.” KP’s mother claims even if this was, the lack of supervision is unacceptable.
“Even if this incident was unintentional,” McCathern said, “The school’s lack of supervision to let this happen, dismissive and tone deaf response after it happened, and refusal to investigate until legally prompted to, showed an utter disregard for one of the only African American children in the school.”