Red Lion SD sued for allegedly not reporting sexual assault of 5-year-old on school bus

YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — The parents of an elementary student have filed a lawsuit against the the Red Lion School District for allegedly not reporting the sexual assault of a 5-year-old, despite having knowledge of the matter.

According to the lawsuit, a 5-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by another student on a Red Lion school bus on Oct. 16, 2023.

The lawsuit is also suing Michael Langan, principal of Clearview Elementary School at the time of the assault, who allegedly knew of the abuse and failed to report it to ChildLine, as well as failing to separate the victim and the perpetrator onto different buses.

As the principal, Langan is a mandatory reporter and is required by state law to report instances of child sex abuse, the lawsuit says. The District is also accused of violating Title IX.

The same student had reportedly assaulted other students in the past, according to the lawsuit, which the District and Langan allegedly knew about and also failed to report.

The lawsuit also alleged that the district's negligence led to additional assaults.

As a result of the abuse, the 5-year-old student suffered emotional distress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress, among other damages. Her performance in school also reportedly suffered.

The lawsuit alleges that the school district and Langan were "deliberately indifferent to sexual assault and harassment" of which they had "actual knowledge," and ultimately requests that the District pays at least $150,000 in damages.

The following photo of the parents' statement was included in the lawsuit:

A copy of the full lawsuit can be read below:

ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfp7Klecuipqdlo5l6tMHEnWSfp6Jirq24xKCcnaSpYruwwIyrnKmnoqm2r7OMrJyxrZGheqK%2F0pqspaxdpLNugYyynJqqXaS5pXnOp2Ssm5ikvK15wa6q