Pueblo, CO — A lawsuit has been filed against Pueblo School District 60 and the principal of Columbian Elementary School, accusing them of failing to protect a 12-year-old girl from severe racial and homophobic bullying. According to the lawsuit, the girl, Jaleigha’Nisa, endured years of abuse that exacerbated her stress to the point of requiring emergency medical intervention for a gastrointestinal issue, as well as setting her back academically in key subjects like reading and math.
The complaint, filed Thursday in district court, argues that the school and its officials ignored repeated pleas for help from Jaleigha’Nisa’s mother, Salina Cummings. The suit alleges violations under Title VI, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin, and Title IX, which covers sex discrimination. It also brings an equal protection claim, citing the endemic and severe racial hostility that it says deprived Jaleigha’Nisa of equal educational opportunities.
Jaleigha’Nisa’s experiences at the school, as described in the legal documents, included being targeted with racial slurs and threats of violence, including being told to “go back to Africa,” alongside threats of being shot or hung. The school’s inadequate response to these incidents, according to the lawsuit, amounted to “deliberate indifference.”
Transferring to Columbian Elementary in fourth grade after facing bullying at previous schools, Jaleigha’Nisa’s situation worsened, the lawsuit states. Once enrolled, she was further subjected to racial epithets and physical assaults from peers, who purportedly slapped her, threatened her life, and severely undermined her sense of security. Despite multiple reports to school officials and direct conversations with the principal, the filing claims that no effective action was taken.
This ineffectual handling, as Cummings discussed, involved a lack of real mediation or reprimand toward the students implicated in the bullying. Requests for more formal interventions and mediation with other families were allegedly denied, increasing the child’s isolation and distress. According to the filings, the school dismissed the bullying as mere “roasting,” a framing that the lawsuit challenges as dismissive of the seriousness of the abuse.
As the bullying persisted, Jaleigha’Nisa’s mother sought more drastic measures after no substantive change occurred. In January 2024, following the family’s engagement of legal counsel, an investigation was finally initiated but ultimately minimized the severity of the accusations, as stated in the lawsuit.
The fallout from the prolonged bullying took a deep toll on Jaleigha’Nisa. It affected her physically, as demonstrated by a surgery for stress-related gastrointestinal distress, and mentally, contributing to depression and severe anxiety, which led to her placement on a special education plan at her new school. She continues to undergo therapy twice a week to cope with the trauma she experienced.
The lawsuit may have broader implications, signaling a call for more robust protections for students subjected to racial and homophobic bullying in schools. It seeks not only justice for Jaleigha’Nisa but also aims to compel changes in how schools address such serious allegations of harassment and violence.
Jaleigha’Nisa, now at a different school, hopes that her case will encourage other children facing similar challenges to stand up for themselves and seek help. Her story is a potent reminder of the need for schools to live up to their responsibility to provide a safe environment for all students, free from discrimination or harassment.
This article highlights the ongoing issues within educational institutions concerning the handling of racism and bullying, underlining the crucial legal and societal challenges that remain in ensuring safe learning environments for every student.
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