BREAKING: Irmo High School Teacher Allegedly Beaten by Students

BREAKING: Irmo High School Teacher Allegedly Beaten by Students; Suicide Attempt at Irmo Middle Allegedly Concealed

CASE UPDATE – SEVILLA v. ROSS

Federal Lawsuit Alleges Widespread Misconduct,
Retaliation, and Corruption in Lexington-Richland School District
Five (LR5)

Lawsuit Seeks Federal Receivership, Criminal
Referrals, and Removal of Key Officials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 20, 2025
Columbia, South
Carolina

A federal civil rights and racketeering lawsuit—Sevilla et
al. v. Ross et al., Case No. 3:25-cv-03528-CMC-SVH—filed in
the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, alleges
systemic misconduct, corruption, and retaliation within
Lexington-Richland School District Five (LR5).

The lawsuit is supported by nearly 2,000 pages of legal filings,
sworn declarations, and documentary evidence. Among the core
allegations: that senior officials operated a racially biased,
retaliatory, and financially opaque enterprise in violation of
federal and state law.

All claims are alleged in the context of active federal
litigation. No allegations have yet been adjudicated, and all
individuals named are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

RECENT VIOLENCE AND ALLEGED COVER-UPS

According to the lawsuit and accompanying witness declarations:

• On May 20, 2025, a teacher at Irmo High School was allegedly attacked by as many as twelve students in a hallway incident that was captured on video.
• A school-wide lockdown reportedly followed, but no parental notice was issued by LR5 officials.
• On May 19, 2025, multiple fights allegedly occurred at Irmo High School and were witnessed by students and staff. However, no formal investigations or public notifications were made.
• The prior week, a suicide attempt by a student at Irmo Middle School was allegedly concealed by administrators. The complaint asserts that this violated South Carolina’s mandatory reporting law (S.C. Code § 63-7-310).
• The lawsuit alleges that LR5 administrators have engaged in a coordinated effort to suppress public disclosure of violence and safety threats, including directing staff not to communicate with parents or the media.

These incidents have been submitted as new judicial
exhibits in Sevilla v. Ross.

DEFENDANTS NAMED IN THE LAWSUIT

As of May 2025, the following individuals are named as defendants
in Sevilla v. Ross:

• Dr. Akil Ross – Superintendent
• Aaron Brand – Irmo High Head Football Coach & Assistant Athletic Director
• Paul Calvert – District Athletic Director
• Kaaren Hampton – Principal, Irmo High School
• Mansa Joseph – Principal, Irmo Middle School
• Amanda Taylor – FOIA Officer
• Jinni Friend – 504/Title IX Coordinator
• Jeanna Locklair – Finance Official
• Reggie Wicker – Human Resources Director
• Amanda Neal – Irmo Middle School staff
• Jonathan Colon – Irmo Middle custodial staff
• Board Members: Scully, Satterfield, Snipes, and Herring

Additional individuals and entities may be named,
including:

• Booster Club officers
• SCHSL-affiliated officials
• Law enforcement personnel allegedly involved in retaliatory enforcement actions
• Lexington One and Gilbert High School officials tied to related misconduct

ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF LAW

The lawsuit alleges that the named individuals and entities
committed violations of:

Federal Law:

• 18 U.S.C. § 1962 – RICO (Racketeering)
• 42 U.S.C. § 1983 – Civil rights deprivation under color of law
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• 18 U.S.C. § 241 – Conspiracy to interfere with constitutional rights

South Carolina Law:

• S.C. Code § 63-7-310 – Failure to report child endangerment
• S.C. Code § 30-4-10 – Freedom of Information Act violations
• S.C. Code § 16-5-70 – Obstruction of justice
• Common law: negligent supervision, emotional distress, retaliatory discrimination

FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS FROM COURT FILINGS

(All statements below are explicitly alleged in court filings
and/or supporting declarations.)

• LR5 officials allegedly failed to respond to over 200 emails from parents, whistleblowers, and community members raising safety concerns.
• Body camera footage reportedly supports allegations that district officials conspired to obtain a false trespass order against a parent whistleblower.
• Coach Tommy Sevilla was allegedly locked out of Irmo Middle School buildings on December 11 and 17, 2024, in retaliation for reporting 504 violations and safety issues.
• Whistleblower declarations allege that Coach Brand, Hampton, and Calvert pressured educators to change athlete grades and tolerated or encouraged intentional injury of opposing athletes.
• Board Members Scully, Satterfield, Snipes, and Herring are alleged to have voted against investigating all documented misconduct, including child endangerment and civil rights violations.

FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT & FOIA OBSTRUCTION

The lawsuit also alleges:

• The Irmo Football Booster Club failed to file IRS Form 990s and nonprofit disclosures for multiple consecutive years, as required by law.
• Amanda Taylor, LR5’s FOIA Officer, allegedly delayed, denied, or redacted public records unlawfully, including emails, financials, and surveillance videos.
• A recent cafeteria expansion contract—allegedly worth several million dollars—was awarded without proper bidding or public oversight, raising red flags regarding procurement integrity.

SCHSL SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT (ALLEGED)

The lawsuit asserts that the South Carolina High School League
(SCHSL):

• Declined to investigate complaints against Irmo High School and Coach Brand despite serious violations.
• Disproportionately penalized other schools for lesser offenses, raising concerns of racial or political favoritism.

RELIEF REQUESTED IN SEVILLA v. ROSS

The lawsuit seeks the following remedies:

• Immediate removal or termination of Superintendent Ross, Coach Brand, and other administrators
• Termination or recall of Board Members who allegedly failed in their oversight role
• Appointment of a federal Special Master or Receiver to oversee LR5 operations
• Criminal referrals to the U.S. Department of Justice, SLED, and the South Carolina Attorney General
• FOIA compliance, full financial audits, and reform of LR5’s ADA/504 protocols

PUBLIC CALL TO ACTION

Concerned citizens, educators, whistleblowers, and community
members are encouraged to:

Submit confidential documentation or declarations
to:
sevillalocalmedia@gmail.com

Share this case publicly
using:
#SevillaVRoss
#RemoveRoss
#LR5Accountability
#BoosterClubAllegations
#JusticeForStudents
#WhistleblowerProtection
#FederalReceivershipNow
#FOIAObstruction

THIS IS A CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Sevilla v. Ross is a public interest lawsuit to restore
safety, accountability, and lawful governance across LR5. It seeks to
end institutional retaliation and bring federal scrutiny to a system
that, as alleged, endangers students and silences those who speak up.

The time for silence is over. The time for federal
accountability is now.