Federal officials have reached a settlement agreement with Fulton County Schools after investigating the district’s response several years ago to sexual assaults on a school bus that served students with special needs.
The family of a middle school student, who was assaulted and raped on the bus, filed a lawsuit against the school district in March of 2020. The suit alleged the girl was sexually assaulted repeatedly and raped by two different students in April of 2019. The family said the incidents took place during a 17-day period. The assaults were confirmed by a district investigation and a medical examination of the student.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia said the investigation found Fulton lacked adequate procedures and didn’t train employees on how to respond to and report student-on-student sexual harassment and assault; failed to appropriately accommodate the special needs of students with disabilities in preventing and responding to sexual assault; and failed to make the reporting process accessible for parents and guardians with limited English proficiency.
As part of the settlement, Fulton has agreed to modify its reporting policies; provide staff with more detailed training; and provide language assistance to parents and guardians with limited English abilities.
In a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday, Fulton County Schools said the district worked with federal officials on the policy changes addressed in the settlement and that student safety is a priority.
“The incident that prompted this investigation happened many years ago,” the statement reads. “It does not represent a pattern of similar incidents and we frequently review FCS policies, procedures, and protections to strengthen our safety approaches further across all educational settings, including on our school buses.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release it will hold schools accountable to protect students. Their office worked with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section to investigate this case.
“Children with disabilities can be especially vulnerable and deserve to thrive in a learning environment free of violence of any kind, including when traveling to and from school aboard buses,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement. “We applaud the school district’s willingness to cooperate with our investigation and to amicably resolve this matter to ensure the protection and safety of these children.”
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