NORFOLK, Va. — A transgender woman and former Norfolk Public Schools student is suing the division and the principal of her high school, claiming she was bullied, harassed and assaulted, and the school system did not help her.
The lawsuit, filed on May 27, says that Tatiana Blount started attending Lake Taylor High School in Norfolk in 2021.
Blount transitioned and started living as a woman around early 2022, according to the lawsuit. Her mother, Cynthia Smith, was told by the principal, Latesha Wade-Jenkins, that she would ask teachers to use Tatiana's chosen name and pronouns, but the lawsuit notes that no accommodations were put in place despite early safety concerns.
Throughout the lawsuit, Blount's lawyer notes that she transitioned due to gender dysphoria, so the Americans with Disabilities Act should protect her as a "qualified indvidual with a disability."
Smith organized at least five different meetings, in person and over the phone, requesting for accommodations so her daughter could feel safe at school, but they were not granted, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that Blount was "almost immediately" bullied and harassed by other students on a daily basis. Students would call her "sir" or "man" and by other male pronouns, make rude comments about her clothing, and sometimes groped her breasts and genitals, the lawsuit claims.
One student who was not Blount's classmate threatened her in front of her entire class. On a bus ride, a student continuously harassed Blount and even pulled down her shirt and bra to expose her chest. Blount was also followed to the bathroom on numerous occasions.
Smith asked for an adult to monitor Blount between classes, as well as before and after school, to ensure her safety, alongside multiple other requests for accommodation, which were still not granted.
"This formed a pattern that repeated throughout the month of September and the first week of October: a concerning incident of gender-based bullying or harassment occurred, Ms. Wade Jenkins was made aware of it, but failed to ensure that accommodations were provided to keep Tatiana safe," the lawsuit alleges.
The student who threatened her, referred to as Student K in the lawsuit, posted online that one of her bullies planned to attack Blount. Smith sent screenshots of the online threats against Blount to Wade-Jenkins and once again asked for help, but Wade-Jenkins said there was nothing the school could do, according to the lawsuit.
Wade-Jenkins said Blount was not the only student with similar problems, and suggested she transfer schools.
On October 5, two days after Smith showed the threats to Wade-Jenkins, Blount was attacked by several students who made derogatory comments about her gender and dysphoria. Blount lost consciousness multiple times throughout the attack, the lawsuit alleges, but the students kept kicking her in the head and body.
The lawsuit alleges that school officials did not call for medical treatment, and says that though Wade-Jenkins was aware of the attack, she did not help Blount.
Blount spent the night in the emergency room where she found out she had a traumatic brain injury and concussion. The lawsuit says the attack affected Blount "emotionally, psychologically and intellectually" and now she suffers from permanent cognitive injuries.
“They beat her, and nobody was there to really help her,” Smith said in a previous interview with News 3, adding that Blount did not know the students who attacked her.
Smith contacted Wade-Jenkins nearly every week during the 2022 school year in an attempt to get accommodations for her daughter leading up to the attack, but they were never granted, according to the lawsuit.
“She’s a good child,” Smith said. “She’s not a fighter. She is a lovable person. She has friends and she’s not a troublemaker, but they just keep picking on her because of who she chose to be."
Blount stopped going to school, and within a year stopped her formal education altogether because of the attack, according to the lawsuit.
“They dragged they feet, trying to help her and keep her safe, so I blame the school for not protecting my daughter,” said Smith. "I just want justice.”
Blount is suing for damages and attorney's fees, according to the lawsuit.
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