Lawyer Wants Federal Investigation Into CMS Over Sexual Assaults

CHARLOTTE, NC — The lawyer representing the student and her family in the sexual assault case at Hawthorne Academy wants a federal eye on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools after the handling of that case and several others in recent history.

Laura Dunn wrote to the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights about the issue this week, saying that CMS is violating Title IX.

Title IX states the following in part:

"Also, no recipient or other person may intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Title IX or its implementing regulations, or because the individual has made a report or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or refused to participate in a proceeding under Title IX."

The student who reported the sexual assault at Hawthorne Academy was later suspended and forced to take a class on avoiding sexual harassment. Charlotte Police charged a minor in the case.

The principal and vice-principal were recently suspended with pay.

Dunn, per the letter, wrote that CMS "has been previously investigated by OCR and repeatedly found out of compliance with Title IX."

Dunn says in the letter that the lack of compliance goes back a decade and asks for sanctions and changes in the school system.

CMS has not responded to requests for comment on this story.

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