Nigel Shelby
The family of an openly gay teenager who died by suicide after relentless bullying and harassment that was allegedly allowed to go unchecked by school officials is suing the city of Huntsville and its public school system for violating his civil rights.
Nigel Shelby, 14, died by suicide on April 18, 2019, after being tormented by fellow schoolmates, who physically assaulted him, called him derogatory names, racial slurs, and anti-gay slurs, and bullied him on social media as well in person. Shelby became more and more depressed and began engaging in self-harming behaviors as the bullying continued.
Civil rights lawyers Benjamin Crump and Jasmine Rand, who are serving as co-counsel for Shelby’s family in the lawsuit, said in a press conference on Tuesday that school administrators refused to take action to stop the bullying even after Shelby complained of the harassment he was receiving.
Huntsville City Schools sued for Title IX, Title XII violations after teen’s suicide
On Tuesday, one family filed a lawsuit against Huntsville City Schools over their son’s suicide.
Posted: Apr 13, 2021 7:02 PM
Posted By: Bridget Divers
On Tuesday, one family filed a lawsuit against Huntsville City Schools over their son’s suicide.
The lawsuit by Nigel Shelby’s family alleges violations by school leaders and the city on the basis of race and sex.
Nigel Shelby
The family s attorneys said that Nigel Shelby was bullied at school and online all because of his sexual orientation and race. There was a long pattern of bullying and discrimination against Nigel Shelby by other students, you know, for months and months at this school and it dragged on for an extended period of time, said Jasmine Rand, one of the family s attorneys.
The press release from attorney Ben Crump states a school employee told his Nigel s mother where she could find a suicide note, implying faculty knew Nigel was planning to kill himself, and never reported it to his mother.
Nigel Shelby: Family of gay teen who died by suicide sue school district pinknews.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from pinknews.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Family of bullied gay teen who killed himself to sue Huntsville City Schools
Updated 10:41 AM;
Today 9:45 AM
Nigel Shelby, 15, died by suicide in April, 2019. His family has hired a prominent civil rights attorney to investigate the school system s treatment of their son.
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The family of an openly gay Huntsville City Schools student who took his own life in 2019 has announced plans to sue the school system for civil rights violations and wrongful death, according to a news release Monday.
The attorneys for the family of Nigel Shelby will be discussing the lawsuit at a news conference Tuesday.
Shelby was 14 when he died on April 18, 2019. His family said that Shelby took his own life because of being bullied because of his sexual orientation as well as depression.