RICHLAND CO. – The problem with bullying and violence in the schools has hit Richland County by way of a lawsuit against the school and staff.
Filed December 15, the complaint outlines a situation of alleged brutality on the parking lot of East Richland High School (ERHS) and underscores the situation that many parents are faced with by sending their kids to public school – that it seems staff “doesn’t want to get involved” when there are conflicts that escalate to physical altercations, and won’t do anything to prevent it when warned.
As well, ERHS student Hannah Reeves and her mother, Kathy Reeves, have sought relief through the courts in the civil arena because apparently, no one in the criminal arena has bothered to do anything, either, which isn’t surprising in Richland County as a general rule, given the climate of “do-nothing”-ness developed over the past couple of decades by nearly every prosecutor in office.
What is surprising, however, is the fact that current prosecutor Brad Vaughn – who is aggressive, unlike his predecessor – didn’t take steps in his official capacity.
However, under the circumstances, even Vaughn might’ve thought this one to be a better case for the affected family, as in a civil suit, monetary damages can be awarded in large sums, as opposed to a criminal conviction, which might end up with a little restitution ordered that might never be paid.
The Reeves family state in their five-count complaint that the incident developed on Dec. 16, 2015.
Hannah Reeves, a minor at the time, was a student at ERHS. On that day, at the school, Hannah informed the Assistant Principal, Andy Julian, about two girls, Eva and Julia Shaw, who were threatening to beat her up after school.
The Reeves family claims in their suit that “nothing was done” about the advisement of the threat.
However, apparently ERHS thought they were doing something: Julian accompanied Hanna out to the school parking lot, and to her car in her assigned parking space.
However, when they got there, both Shaw girls were “leaning on (Hannah Reeves’) car, and began harassing “Reeves) when she approached her vehicle in the school parking lot,” the suit states.
It went on to outline that “Julia and Eva Shaw then attacked (Hannah Reeves) by punching, kicking, pulling hair, and shoving her head into the asphalt/concrete in the presence of the Assistant Principal, Andy Julian.
“During the altercation,” states court documents, “Julian did not intervene, did not call the police, did not call an ambulance, and permitted the attack on (Reeves).”
Out of this, stated the Reeves family in the complaint, Hannah “was injured when she was attacked and struck by Julia and Eva Shaw, which was permitted by Julian.”
This, claim the Reeves, made the rest of the defendants guilty of “willful and wanton acts and/or admissions in reckless disregard for the safety of Hannah Reeves.”
Specifically, the Reeves claim that Julian, along with other defendants Richland County Community Unit School District #1, Board of Education of Richland County Community Unit School District #1, East Richland High School, Julian, the Shaw girls, and their parents Doug E. Shaw and Jodi E. Shaw, culpable in the next set of claims, namely, that they:
Failed to properly supervise Hannah after having been specifically advised that she was being harassed and threatened by the two Shaw girls;
Failed to properly observe Hannah after having been specifically advised of the threat and harassment;
Allowed Hannah to leave the confines of the school with Julian after seeing the Shaw girls waiting at Hannah’s car and knowing they’d threatened to beat her up;
Failed to remove the Shaw girls, who had threatened violence against Hannah, from Hannah’s car after having been told by Hannah of their harassment and intent to fight and attack her;
Failed to remove or suspend the Shaw girls after the threats and harassment and after having personal knowledge of their threat of violence toward Hannah;
Failed to intervene when the Shaw girls were attacking Hannah;
Failed to contact the appropriate authorities after the attack;
Failed to contact an ambulance or offer any kind of medical treatment after the attack; and
Failed to contact Hannah’s parents after the attack.
As a result of this alleged willful and wanton acts and/or admissions in reckless disregard for Hannah’s safety, the suit claims, Hannah “sustained severe and permanent injuries and was, and will be, hindered and prevented from attending her usual duties and affairs of life, and has lost, and will lose, the value of that time.
“Further,” the suit claims, Hannah “suffered great pain and anguish, both in mind and body, and will in the future continue to suffer.” It also states that she has spent and will spent “large sums of money for medical care.”
Under each of the five counts (one against each defendant), the Reeves’ are asking for a judgment of a sum in excess of $50,000.
There’s no indication in court filings of what the feud was between the Shaw girls and Reeves.
However, not long after the incident, Kathy Reeves entered OPs against the Shaw girls on behalf of her daughter. Those are currently in effect.
This might not be a common thing, to file what amounts to a battery lawsuit against a public entity, but it’s a novelty for Richland County, as this is the first suit of its kind in recent memory where a parent is asking for the school to pay for injuries a student sustained on the campus.
No first court setting had been made yet as of press time, as the suit had only been recently filed.