G'town ISD 'harassment' lawsuit settled

Georgetown (KXAN) - A settlement was reached this week in a year-long federal lawsuit between the mother of a son who was bullied repeatedly at school, and the Georgetown Independent School District . The Texas Civil Rights Project helped lead the suit against the school District.

KXAN covered the story a year ago when the lawsuit was filed.

"This is the first suit that the Texas Civil Rights Project has brought under title 9 alleging discrimination based on gender stereotyping and sexual orientation," said Todd Batson, with the Texas Civil Rights Project. "However, that's a developing area of the law."

"I was spit on. I was knocked unconscious. My books were thrown in the trash. My finger was broken, lots of stuff," said Ryan Mitchell, 16. "People called me gay, faggot on a daily basis."

Ryan MItchell will start 11th grade in August. He's been going through the same torment since he was in 5th grade.

"There were days where I didn't want to get out of bed," he said.

"I don't have words to describe the hurt or pain," Ryan's mother Kime Mitchell said. "But, it's like sending your kid out and you know (your) kid is going to be attacked and beat up and spit on or just whatever the situation may be." 

She continued, "So for me to have to get him dressed, get him up every morning and send him out into a world and place that I knew was not going to be kind to him, It hurt me a lot. I can't explain how deep it hurt."

And now, almost a year to the day, a settlement has been reached in that lawsuit. The school district and The Texas Civil Rights Project said the details remain confidential.

But, as part of the settlement, the District will work with the Anti-Defamation League 's anti-bullying program, ' No Place for Hate ,' and will undertake further steps to train faculty and students ways to stop all forms of discrimination, bullying and harassment.

"I entrust the schools with my child 8 hours a day," Kime Mitchell said. "They have him more than I do. For me to sit back and go along with my daily routine and know that the school is going to be a safer place for not only my kid, but everybody else's kid. That was the goal."

Ryan Mitchell said, "I think it would be good if I can help everybody or a lot of people, just to know I've made a difference going through what I've gone through so I know other kids don't have to go through it."