FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — A metro-area teenager is suing her former school district.
She says she was the victim of a sexual assault at Fayette County High School, but the school decided to punish her instead of supporting her.
Channel 2 Action News covered the story when it happened two years ago. On Monday, Channel 2's Alyssa Hyman saw a copy of the lawsuit, which names several people, including a principal and two assistant principals -- none of whom actually work at the school anymore.
"I came to them and they did me wrong. I told them what happened and I still got in trouble for it," the alleged victim told Channel 2 Action News.
It's been about two years since we first aired the emotional interview with the alleged victim. The teenager said she was expelled from Fayette County High School after she reported that she was sexually assaulted by another student at school.
"I was crying all day," she said.
She claims the other student pressured her to perform oral sex and physically prevented her from leaving until she did.
She reported it the next day, but instead of getting support, the student says she was punished and ultimately expelled for sexual impropriety.
"What we're alleging is that the school violated Title 9 which is a federal law that says that you have to prevent and address sex discrimination which includes sexual harassment and assault in school," said Adaku Onyeka-Crawford, director of Educational Equity & Senior Counsel for National Women's Law Center.
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D.C. based National Women's Law Center, a nonprofit, has filed a lawsuit on the student's behalf. They're suing the Fayette County school board, the superintendent and three former school administrators.
They are asking for money but also policy changes.
"We thought this case was just so egregious, so many things done wrong that we felt like we had to represent this student to get her justice and to get her education back on track," Onyeka-Crawford said.
Hyman reached out to the district. They don't comment on pending legal matters but said:
"The school system has not seen the complaint but will respond through the court proceedings, and fully expects to prevail on the legal and factual merits of the claims."
The lawsuit also claims that the student who is accused of the sexual assault has had similar issues in the past.
The district said it provides due process to all students and they also abide by their sexual harassment policies.
Cox Media Group
