HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — A lawsuit filed by the mother of a former Hudsonville Public Schools (HPS) student claims the district violated his civil rights.
The lawsuit also goes after several HPS parents for monetary damages related to assaults their children allegedly committed on her son.
“I have other kids in the district who go to school, who are building relationships, who are excelling and stuff, and it's like, then I have one that can't even go to school because he's not safe,” said Brittany, the mother, who asked FOX17 to not use her last name or show her face in an effort to protect her family.
HPS declined to specifically comment on the lawsuit, but said the district intended to dispute its allegations.
“Hudsonville Public Schools works hard to provide quality education to its students and will be filing a response to the lawsuit that disputes the allegations,” said Stephanie Fast, the district’s public relations manager.
According the lawsuit, submitted on March 4, Brittany’s son, who attended Reily Middle School, was attacked three times and threatened once between October 2023 and Febraury 2024 by four classmates.
One of the incidents, which happened in the school’s gym, was filmed. A copy of it, provided to FOX17, shows Brittany’s son backed up against bleachers with a male student in front of him. The student looks around for a few seconds then repeatedly punches and stomps on Brittany’s son, who eventually falls to the ground.
“I had no words,” said Brittany. “I was ill, like, ran to the bathroom, throwing [up]. I was shaking.”
The lawsuit says the district expelled the student who beat up Brittany’s son, but did not suspend the student behind the camera. It also claims HPS failed to take action in the other incidents.
“HPS’ solution was to talk to the bullies but not to find any ways to protect [Brittany’s son],” the lawsuit writes. “After multiple complaints to teachers, school officers and staff, all problematic students remained at the school and remained in classes with [Brittany’s son].”
Rob Howard, Brittany’s attorney, says under Michigan law, a person can recover up to $2,500 from a parent if their child willfully or maliciously causes bodily harm or injury to someone.
FOX 17 does not plan to identify the eight parents being sued because they do not face criminal charges. Three of the individuals named declined an interview when contacted.
“We know that bullying can lead to very severe actions, either to harm the victim or the victim then harming others,” said Howard, an associate attorney at Cunningham Dalman in Holland. “We don't want to see this cycle perpetuated. We want to address this.”
Howard believes HPS violated the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act too.
According to the lawsuit, Brittany’s son, who lives with ADHD and anxiety, is excluded from certain district programs, like assemblies. It also alleges one of his teachers said the class ran better withouot him. Howard claims the different treatment exacerbated his peers’ actions.
“It’s interfering with his education,” said Howard. “The middle school years are very important preparing to move into high school, and he's not reaping the educational benefits that other students are.”
In late February, Brittany enrolled her son in a homeschool program. She hopes he can eventually recover.
“You hear about stuff all the time,” said Brittany. “I always [was like] it would never happen to me, it would never happen to me and it happened. To the extent of it, and how it's escalated from where it started, I don’t, something's gonna happen to my kid.”
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