A federal judge has ruled a St. Paul charter school did not unfairly punish a student for sexually harassing several of his peers.
The 15-year-old boy’s parents sued St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists on his behalf in November, alleging the school didn’t give him a chance to defend himself before handing down a three-day suspension.
They further alleged the school violated their son’s privacy by informing students about the suspension and that the school failed to protect him from other students’ retaliatory threats and public protests.
U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank granted the school’s motion to dismiss the claims Monday, finding the student had ample opportunity to explain his actions before he was suspended.
The judge also determined there was no specific evidence that school officials disclosed the teen’s punishment.
The ruling does not close the case altogether. The boy, who is not named in the case, is expected to make a new legal argument that the school was somehow negligent.
The school suspended him Oct. 9 for “inappropriate touch: sitting too close, touching without permission, grabbing a student’s leg near the crotch, licking a student’s hand, grabbing a student from behind and groping” after three female students complained.The boy told a teacher he was flirting with his friends and didn’t know it made them uncomfortable.
St. Paul police have said as many as 10 girls complained about the boy’s behavior, which was not considered criminal.