A 14-year-old girl from Florida has come forward with disturbing allegations against school officials, claiming she was subjected to multiple strip searches. The student, identified only by her initials M.D., along with her father, has filed a federal lawsuit against the School Board of Brevard County and assistant principal Carrie Humphrys from Eau Gallie High School.
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The lawsuit outlines that the student was strip-searched four times and accuses school officials of falsely reporting to the Florida Department of Children and Families that the father had impregnated his daughter. Despite a pediatrician confirming that the student was not pregnant, school staff allegedly spread this false information by interviewing students about the unfounded claim.
According to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, the issues between the student’s family and the school district trace back to August 2023 when the student attended Johnson Middle School in Melbourne. The father reported instances of racial slurs and misogynistic comments towards his daughter, but no actions were taken by the school. Subsequently, the father filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, citing a lack of protection for students of color and accusing the school of falsifying documents related to violence and bullying reports.
The father claims that the school board labelled his family as whistleblowers, leading to retaliatory measures against him and his daughter. Upon the student’s enrollment at Eau Gallie High School in 2024, the complaint alleges further mistreatment, including teachers changing grades and spreading rumours accusing the father of inappropriate behaviour towards his daughter.
In a particularly shocking turn of events, on September 18, 2024, school officials allegedly contacted the DCF claiming that the student was pregnant and had been molested by her father. Despite evidence from a pediatrician proving otherwise, the school’s actions led to an investigation by local authorities and unwarranted questioning of the student.
The distressing ordeal continued when M.D. was reportedly subjected to multiple strip searches, including one conducted in the presence of a male individual. The complaint details how the student was made to lift her shirt and expose her breasts, allegedly in search of contraband, which was never found. Furthermore, the father was reportedly uninformed of these searches beforehand.
The complaint includes a letter from the school’s principal acknowledging that staff did not follow proper procedures during the searches. However, the nature of the search mentioned in the letter remains unspecified, raising further concerns about the handling of the situation by school authorities.
These harrowing allegations highlight the need for increased accountability and protection of students within educational institutions. The School Board of Brevard County has refuted claims of conducting strip searches while refraining from commenting on other accusations. The lawsuit brings to light the importance of safeguarding students’ rights and ensuring that such incidents are thoroughly investigated and prevented in the future.