‘Do better’: Brevard County family sues school district over bullying, harassment allegations

A Brevard County family is suing the school district. They say their 13-year-old student, who’s in 7th grade, endured months of harassment and bullying at her school.

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The family says it all started last year when an 8th-grader started calling her names. “In October 2023.

My niece came to us and told us that she was experiencing sexual harassment at school,” said Samantha Conover, the student’s aunt. “This a student was continuously calling her derogative slurs and spreading rumors about her around the school, I immediately contacted the school.”

The family claims they made multiple reports to the school, and they even contacted the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, but nothing seemed to stop the alleged aggressor – to the point that the harassment became physical.

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“I go to pick up my niece from school, she walks out and immediately tells me she was assaulted at school. The student had been abusing her; he threw a half-filled water bottle full force directly into her face from two to three feet away,” said Conover.

The case happened at Edgewood High, in Merritt Island. Eyewitness News obtained a letter sent from the principal’s office after an investigation in which the school confirms the bullying case.

The administration then offered a stay-away order, but according to the family that wasn’t enough. They say three days after the order was issued, the student was physically attacked again.

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“She texted me terrified saying the kid had poured water on her and her date during a school dance,” said Conover. “She explained to us that she was feeling a lot of depressive thoughts. Very anxious, did not want to go to school anymore.”

In the federal lawsuit, the family claims discrimination and deprivation of rights, and demand measures to protect other female students going through the same thing.

“They need to do better. Just do better. These girls deserve adults that are doing better. They deserve someone to speak up for them to have their back and to show them that their voice matters,” said Conover.

Eyewitness News reached out to the school district for comment. The district replied stating it does not comment on pending litigation.

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