Filed Date: Aug. 18, 2009
Closed Date: 2013
Clearinghouse coding complete
On August 18, 2009, the plaintiff, a high school student verbally and physically harassed due to his sex and sexual orientation brought suit against Mohawk Central School District in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York (The Honorable David N. Hurd). The plaintiff, represented by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the New York Civil Liberties Union, alleged denial of equal protection on the basis of sex and sexual orientation in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983; discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation and negligent supervision under New York state law; and sex discrimination in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq. Based on these claims, the plaintiff requested a declaratory judgment, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, attorneys' fees and costs, and compensatory, punitive, and statutory damages.
The plaintiff claimed that from 2007 to 2009, he suffered physical and emotional harms due to the defendant's deliberate indifference to a pattern of severe, persistent, and violent harassment of the plaintiff at the hands of fellow students based on his sex and sexual orientation. These physical and emotional harms also affected the plaintiff's ability to learn and caused him to leave school for two weeks at the end of the 2009 school year. The plaintiff and his parents informed school administrators and teachers of the harassment on many separate occasions, but no effective measures were taken by the school to remedy the situation.
On August 19, 2009, the plaintiff moved for a preliminary injunction. The Court issued a consent order granting the preliminary injunction on August 27, ordering the defendant to immediately put in place a number of safeguards to protect the plaintiff and to comply with school sexual harassment policies.
The United States (U.S. Attorney's Office) moved to intervene on behalf of the plaintiff in the action on January 14, 2010. The court denied the motion on March 29, 2010 as it granted the parties' stipulation and settlement agreement. Under the agreement, the defendant was required to pay the plaintiff $50,000 in addition to attorney's fees and costs ($25,000) and the cost of obtaining counseling services up until June 30, 2013. The agreement also required that the defendant retain an expert to review the defendant's policies and practices regarding discrimination and harassment, to review these procedures themselves, and to record compliance with harassment and discrimination complaints.
The case was dismissed with prejudice on April 27, 2010.
Summary Authors
Stella Cernak (3/15/2014)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4326343/parties/jl-v-mohawk-central-school-district/
Abaray, Janet G. (New York)
Abernathy, Terri J (New York)
Adams, Andrew Caldwell (New York)
Adams, Carolyn J. (New York)
Addington, Gregory W. (New York)
Hurd, David N. (New York)
Peebles, David E. (New York)
Adams, Andrew Caldwell (New York)
Addington, Gregory W. (New York)
Alberts, Jeffrey Ehrlich (New York)
Alexander, Nathan Thomas (New York)
Allen, Julie Jackson (New York)
Altmeyer, Helen Campbell (New York)
America, United States (New York)
Anderson, Alison L. (New York)
Anderson, Daniel Robert (New York)
Appenteng, Jeannice Williams (New York)
Applegate, Daniel A. (New York)
Armstrong, Samuel D. (New York)
Atkinson, Theodore William (New York)
Atkinson, Harold O. (New York)
Attorney, Noticing 2255 (New York)
Auchterlonie, Jennifer D (New York)
Bacon, Antoinette T. (New York)
Baghdasarian, Armen (New York)
Barclay, Kristina E. (New York)
Barron, Pamela Owen (New York)
Bartlett, Anastasia D. (New York)
Bartlett, Anastasia D. (New York)
Bauman, Stephanie Coon (New York)
Beckman, Samantha Elizabeth (New York)
Benson, Christopher (New York)
Bernstein, Bruce D. (New York)
Beyer, Patricia Nicole (New York)
Bickers, Kathleen Louise (New York)
Blackwell, Jennifer Leigh (New York)
Blain, Jennifer Ellen (New York)
Bober, David Vincent (New York)
Boeving, James Nicholas (New York)
Borichewski, Lisca N (New York)
Borup, Jeffrey Ryan (New York)
Branning, Robert Joseph (New York)
Brantner, Kelly Kaczka (New York)
Bressler, Steven Yale (New York)
Brock, Gina Elizabeth (New York)
Broderick, Gregory T. (New York)
Brown, Richard O.I. (New York)
Brown, Aimee Woodward (New York)
Brown, Geoffrey J.L. (New York)
Butcher, Daniel Everett (New York)
CAMPBELL, ROBERT J. (New York)
Campion, Dale Robert (New York)
Capers, Robert Lloyd (New York)
Cardinale, Richard J. (New York)
Carlson, Frances Lee (New York)
Castaldi, Lauren Marie (New York)
Cha-Kim, Stephen Seungkun (New York)
Chan, Priscilla To-Yin (New York)
Chorpening, Jennifer (New York)
Clark, Caroline Jane (New York)
Clark, Caroline Jane (New York)
Clarke, Ellen Rebecca (New York)
Clayton, Lindsay Laurie (New York)
Cohen, Richard Edward (New York)
Coles-Huff, Doris Denise (New York)
Cordaro, Joseph Nicholas (New York)
Cowart, Brandon Herbert (New York)
Cowley, Jason Harris (New York)
Darmstadter, Henry C (New York)
Davidson, Cynthia F (New York)
Dimock, Christina Nicole (New York)
DOJ, Michelle Bennett (New York)
Dougherty, Burtis M (New York)
Dubal, Malisa Chokshi (New York)
DuBois, James Joseph (New York)
Duchemin, Meredith P (New York)
Duerk, William Adam (New York)
Durham, Jessie Huff (New York)
Dworkin, Howard Sheldon (New York)
Dworkowitz, Gregory Peter (New York)
Eichenholtz, Seth D. (New York)
Emden, Christopher John (New York)
Engstrom, Stephen C. (New York)
Faiella, Matthew J. (New York)
Ferguson, Edmund M. (New York)
Fisherow, W Benjamin (New York)
Fitzgerald, Patricia M (New York)
Flannery, Kathleen Marie (New York)
Fogelman, Lawrence Heath (New York)
Fonti, Joseph Alberto (New York)
Fornos, Carolina A. (New York)
Francis, Victoria L. (New York)
Franze-Nakamura, Francis (New York)
Gachiri, Jennifer Lane (New York)
Gallagher, Erin Healy (New York)
Garcia, Izabel Olszowa (New York)
Gardiner, Avery Weld (New York)
Genchel, Robin Fierer (New York)
George, William David (New York)
Gianola, John Fulton (New York)
Glaser, Steven Ronald (New York)
Glober, Bonnie Ames (New York)
Goldberg, David Lloyd (New York)
Goldsmith, Michael Lawrence (New York)
Goldsmith, William I (New York)
Goodman, Daniel Scott (New York)
GOVT, Kevin Christopher (New York)
Granston, Michael D (New York)
Groom, Deborah Fennell (New York)
Groom, Deborah Fennell (New York)
Guadagnino, Charles A (New York)
Guard, John Matthew (New York)
Guerra, David Louis (New York)
Guthrie, Robert Gay (New York)
Guthrie, Robert Gay (New York)
Habeas, US Attorney (New York)
Hall, Jennifer Lynne (New York)
Hall, Jennifer Lynne (New York)
Hambrick, Jonathan Holland (New York)
Hanower, Patricia L (New York)
Hansen, Jeffrey Michael (New York)
Harrington, Quinn Patrick (New York)
Harris, Brittney Michelle (New York)
Haugabook, Terrence R. (New York)
Hecker, Elizabeth Parr (New York)
Henderson, Carmen E. (New York)
Hendry, Melanie Dyani (New York)
Hernandez, Jason Peter (New York)
Hikida, Katherine M (New York)
Hinshelwood, Ian Bruce (New York)
Hitchings, Erica Blachman (New York)
Hodges, David Wayne (New York)
Hollander, Bernard M. (New York)
Hollis, Christopher W (New York)
Hornbein, Melissa Anne (New York)
Horwitz, Matthew Joseph (New York)
Howlette, Jordan David (New York)
Hoy, Michael Raymond (New York)
Hull, Joanna Berney (New York)
Humphrey, Richard D. (New York)
Humphries, William M (New York)
Hurwit, Joshua David (New York)
Iannarone, Liberatore Joseph (New York)
Iannarone, Liberatore Joseph (New York)
Jackson, E. Fletcher (New York)
Jennings, David Reese (New York)
Jennings, David Reese (New York)
Jensen, Michelle D. (New York)
Jividen, Betsy Steinfeld (New York)
Johnson, Kristin Berger (New York)
Kaminski, Gerald Francis (New York)
Kamons, Rachael Amy (New York)
Katsaros, Vasile C. (New York)
Kaufman-Cohen, Eric (New York)
Kay, Jeffrey Howard (New York)
Kenney, Patricia Jean (New York)
Kern, Charles Douglas (New York)
Kiernan, Scott Patrick (New York)
Kirschner, Adam David (New York)
Klovers, Christelle (New York)
Knapp, James Halleron (New York)
Krause, Andrew Edward (New York)
Krivonyak, J. Christopher (New York)
Krueger, Matthew Dean (New York)
Kuehler, Natalie Nancy (New York)
Kunofsky, Ari David (New York)
Kutcher, Matthew Lawrence (New York)
Kwaterski, Laura Schulteis (New York)
LA-CR, Assistant 2241-2255 (New York)
Lagarde, Andre Jude (New York)
Lagarde, Andre Jude (New York)
Langworthy, Nancy Fay (New York)
Laroche, Matthew Joseph (New York)
Larsen, Christian R (New York)
Larsen-Bright, Shawn J (New York)
Larsen-Bright, Shawn J (New York)
Larson, Kari Madrene (New York)
Lawrence, Kathleen O'Malley (New York)
Leiderman, Joel David (New York)
Lennington, Daniel P (New York)
Leopold, Matthew Z. (New York)
Lesperance, Karen Folster (New York)
Levesque, Christian (New York)
Levingston, Luttrell (New York)
Levy, Daniel Walter (New York)
Light, Sarah Elizabeth (New York)
Lindquist, Susan J. (New York)
Linnett, Kelsey Catherine (New York)
Littleton, Judson Owen (New York)
Lo, Tzu-Huan Augustine (New York)
Lockard, Michael Dennis (New York)
Loeb, Elizabeth Louise (New York)
Lonergan, Jessica Rose (New York)
Long, Kenneth Gordon (New York)
Lowe, Virginia Cronan (New York)
Lyons, Sean Michael (New York)
Majeed, Sameena Shina (New York)
Manning, Jason Maurice (New York)
Marinelli, Matthew M (New York)
Masimore, Jason Andrew (New York)
Massey, David Benton (New York)
Matchison, Amy Talburt (New York)
Maurer, Michael Stuart (New York)
McClanahan, Cathryn Dawn (New York)
McCord, Stacey Elise (New York)
McCormack, Timothy P. (New York)
McCormack-Herbert, Erin (New York)
McCulloch, Christine J (New York)
McEvoy, Lauren Mary (New York)
McNeela, Andrew Martin (New York)
Mermelstein, Rebecca Gabrielle (New York)
Meyer, Stephen James (New York)
Mikolashek, Kevin J (New York)
Minzner, Max Justin (New York)
Moseley, Kesabii Lagrace (New York)
Mosteller, Daniel Paul (New York)
Murphy-Davis, Colleen (New York)
Myers, Michael David (New York)
Nammar, Michael David (New York)
Nandan, Kathleen Anne (New York)
Nathanson, John Alexander (New York)
Navarro, Luis Frank (New York)
Nawaday, Jaimie Leeser (New York)
Neighbors, Robert L. (New York)
Nelson, Anne Elizabeth (New York)
Nelson, David Christopher (New York)
Nguyen, Jacquelyne M (New York)
Nicholson, Richard S. (New York)
O'Brien, Thomas Peter (New York)
Office, United States (New York)
Orenstein, Karin K. (New York)
Padmanabhan, Kartic (New York)
Parascandola, Christina B. (New York)
Parker, Nathaniel B (New York)
Patrick, Richard Glenn (New York)
Paxton, Lauren Mary (New York)
Pellegrino, Louis Anthony (New York)
Perez, Alfred Juarez (New York)
Perlin, Bonni Jessica (New York)
Perros, Nicholas C. (New York)
Peterson, Benton Gregory (New York)
Phillips, Debra Teufel (New York)
Phillips, Cristine Irvin (New York)
Phillips, Frederick S (New York)
Piropato, Marissa A (New York)
Poliakoff, Steven J (New York)
Pomeroy, Richard L. (New York)
Price, Thomas Russell (New York)
Prober, Dean Russell (New York)
Pyle, Michael Thomas (New York)
Radice, John Daniel (New York)
Reilly, Nathan Daniel (New York)
Reisenweber, Erin K. (New York)
Restaino, Gary Michael (New York)
Reyher, Deborah Mary (New York)
Roberts, Charles E. (New York)
Robinson, Stuart Justin (New York)
Rodriguez, Roberto H. (New York)
Rosenbaum, Steven H (New York)
Rowland_AUSA, Ann C. (New York)
Russell, Shelley D. (New York)
SA-CV, Assistant US (New York)
Sandberg, Justin Michael (New York)
Sanders, Christopher W. (New York)
Sarnell, Bradley Alexander (New York)
Schachner, Elliot M. (New York)
Schachner, Elliot M. (New York)
Schnieders, Kathleen Kelly (New York)
Schonbachler, Katharine (New York)
Schwartz, Adam Jeffrey (New York)
Schwartz, Richard Adam (New York)
Schwartz, Matthew Lane (New York)
Segina, Zoran Joseph (New York)
Sgarlata, AnneMarie (New York)
Shepherd, Matthew W. (New York)
Simmons, Timothy W. (New York)
Smith, Sharon Denise (New York)
Smith, Sharon Denise (New York)
Solomon, Alexander A. (New York)
Soloveichik, Layaliza K. (New York)
Southwell, Alexander H. (New York)
Spina, Thomas Spina (New York)
Steinacker, Andrea K (New York)
Stephens, Rebecca Hilary (New York)
Stripling, Clarence Daniel (New York)
Sweeney, Margaret A. (New York)
Talenfeld, Howard M. (New York)
Tarosky, Adam Russell (New York)
Taylor-Phillips, LaQuita J (New York)
Tennerelli, Vincente Antonio (New York)
Thorleifson, Tracy S (New York)
Tribuiani, Rinku Talwar (New York)
Tuite, Christopher P. (New York)
Turner, Frederick Harter (New York)
Turner, Serrin Andrew (New York)
Tyminski, Patricia Daffodil (New York)
Underhill, R Michael (New York)
Underhill, R Michael (New York)
Urbanic, Theresa M. (New York)
Vanaskie, Thomas K. (New York)
Vargas, Jeannette Anne (New York)
Vassallo, Kristin Lynn (New York)
Venezia, Jill Ondrejko (New York)
Viacava, Yolande G. (New York)
Wallenstein, Marc A. (New York)
Warren, Joseph W.C. (New York)
Watkins, Susana Elizabeth (New York)
Weir, Matthew Charles (New York)
Westphal, Leslie J. (New York)
Whittlesey, Brent A (New York)
Wiethe, Donetta Donaldson (New York)
Wiley, Stephanie Doria (New York)
Willing-FLU, Patricia A. (New York)
Wilson, Geoffrey Daniel (New York)
Wilson, Edward Bryan (New York)
Wolverton, Caroline Lewis (New York)
Woodliff, Steven Christopher (New York)
Woodward, Thomas Scott (New York)
Wotring, Earnest William (New York)
Wu, Elizabeth Catherine (New York)
Yoo, Danny Young-In (New York)
Zebrowski, Kathleen Ann (New York)
Zevenbergen, Michael James (New York)
Zimmerman, Erika M. (New York)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4326343/jl-v-mohawk-central-school-district/
Last updated Feb. 23, 2024, 3:09 a.m.
State / Territory: New York
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 18, 2009
Closing Date: 2013
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A student who was harassed by peers based on his sex and sexual orientation, enabled by practices and policies of Mohawk Central School District in violation of his civil rights.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Mohawk Central School District, School District
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Amount Defendant Pays: 89,400
Order Duration: 2010 - 2013
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Goals (e.g., for hiring, admissions)
Issues
General:
LGBTQ+:
Discrimination-basis:
Affected Sex or Gender:
Type of Facility: