Kearney School District Subject of Federal Civil Rights Investigation

KEARNEY, MO – Administrators in the Kearney school district are the subject of a federal civil rights investigation after a black teen claims he was repeatedly taunted and was threatened with a lynching.

According to the suit filed this month in state court, the teen, identified as K.W., called his parents in tears, saying the white students were trying to incite violence against him.  His parents pulled him from the school.  The allegations stem from issues in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years.

The district said in a statement that it does not respond to pending litigation but is committed to fully ensuring every student can learn in an environment free of discrimination in any form.

Records from the U.S. Department of Education shows two open racial harassment investigations involving the Kearney school district.