Stanton student sues Duval Schools over sexual assault on bus

The family of a freshman who was sexually assaulted by another student on a school bus in 2024 is suing Duval County Public Schools.

The federal civil rights lawsuit alleges the district and other defendants failed to protect the girl, a student at Stanton College Preparatory School, from escalating sexual harassment and assaults on the bus — despite “known systemic failures in preventing, classifying, reporting, investigating, and remediating sexual misconduct.”

The other defendants include Superintendent Christopher Bernier, two Stanton administrators, one school resource officer, Student Transportation of America and the bus driver.

The attorney representing the plaintiffs, Chris Moser, has represented several former students in their claims against the district regarding Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. Moser declined to comment.

According to the complaint, Bernier is named as a defendant “based on his personal knowledge of and deliberate indifference to” failures in the system.

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After the girl reported the assaults, the district minimized her claims, delayed access to evidence, and failed to provide support to the girl, the suit claims.

Court documents say the boy who committed the assault was arrested and pleaded guilty to felony battery.