CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A Clay County family said their son was attacked and threatened with a hacksaw in a local high school as part of a hazing ritual.
They’ve filed a lawsuit this week against the Clay County School District and the Green Cove Springs Wrestling Club.
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The complaint accuses the district and club of negligence, citing an incident from September 2022 where the victim was involved in wrestling activities organized and overseen by the district.
The lawsuit said the victim was physically assaulted by four male students in the Clay High School wrestling locker room.
The complaint said the students grabbed the victim and “held him so he could not move and tried to remove his pants, ripping them.”
It also said the students waved a hacksaw and threatened to cut off the victim’s genitals.
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“I’m kind of saddened that it had to get to that point,” said Sheila, a concerned parent. “We should not dismiss accusations like this.”
Sheila spoke at the school board meeting Thursday night and is part of a group of parents trying to get answers about hazing in schools.
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Clay County District Schools sent Action News Jax a statement:
“Clay County District Schools is aware that this individual has once again filed a lawsuit against the District, despite previous cases being dismissed. While we respect the legal process, we remain confident that the facts will prevail, as they have before. Our focus remains on supporting our students, educators, and community, and we are committed to continuing our work without distraction.”
Action News Jax asked the district about the previous cases they mentioned. We were told it is the fourth iteration of the same lawsuit.
But Action News Jax looked into dozens of court cases involving the family, the lawyer and the district, we found no connection to any similar cases.
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