Connecticut parents' lawsuit alleges school board responsible for students being 'bullied' and 'harassed' for political beliefs

Parents filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the Board of Education at Guilford Public Schools in Connecticut, alleging that a school policy encouraged the bullying of their children because of differing political beliefs.

The case accused the board of implementing a policy in 2020 that invited "racial discrimination," the Daily Caller News Foundation reported. The lawsuit referred to the policy as "race pandering."

As part of the policy, teachers received training on "race, racism, justice, equity and identity." The educators were required to read "How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi and allegedly asked to recommend the book to students as well.

The parents stated that their children were "bullied" and "harassed" by students and faculty for their religious and political beliefs. The federal case also accused the district of violating the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights, reported the Hartford Courant.

The complaint stated that the parents' children were specifically targeted because several of the parents had taken a public stance against the Connecticut school board.

Three of the parents in the case had previously run for seats on Guilford's Board of Education. All three parents won the Republican primaries but were defeated in the general election.

Their case against the board accused an administrator of admitting to disciplining a middle school child because of his mother's political views. The same student was then stabbed with a pencil by a classmate, causing him to bleed. The classmate allegedly told the student that he was stabbed because his "mother was too political."

Another student claimed a peer assaulted him because he opposed "affirmative action." The case stated that the child was attacked during a football game and called a "racist."

A teacher was also named in the lawsuit for allegedly telling a student that she "had her head in the sand" and "drank Fox News Kool-Aid" in response to the student's research project.

The five parents in the lawsuit claimed that the school either witnessed the incidents or was made aware of them but did not take action to stop the harassment.

The parents of the children subject to the alleged harassment are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Guilford Public Schools, the school board, and the attorneys for the parents did not reply to requests for comment, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.