SEATTLE — The family of a Garfield High School junior, one of 11 students who received emergency expulsion after a mass hazing incident in late September, has filed a lawsuit against Seattle Public Schools alleging lack of due process in determining disciplinary measures.
According to the lawsuit, the student’s emergency expulsion lasted 11 days, followed by a suspension from Oct. 4 to Oct. 22.
In the lawsuit, Brad Westering, a school administrator at Garfield, claimed that “the plaintiff had approached students prior to the ‘froshing’ event, asked them if they wanted to get ‘froshed’ and then paddled one of them off campus at the Arboretum because the student had apparently refused to come to the event when he had invited him.”
The student then provided a written statement to the school denying those claims. He told the school the two freshmen had approached him instead, asking if they could get ‘froshed.’ The student denied bringing these students to the event and denied that he had paddled one of the students.
Yet the Seattle Public Schools response to the lawsuit includes a statement from the student’s father, made at an appeals hearing, that his son’s actions included a “single, friendly swat” that was equivalent to a “birthday spank.”
The lawsuit alleges denial of due process, wrongful expulsion and suspension, violation of civil rights and denial of the equal education opportunity. The plaintiffs are asking that the school district award the student “compensatory and special damages” in an amount to be determined at trial, in addition to attorney’s fees.
Seattle Public Schools would not comment on this case. The student’s attorney has not responded to KIRO 7’s request for comment.
KIRO
