A Spokane jury has delivered a stark verdict against the Mead School District, ordering it to pay $17 million to the families of two teenagers who were assaulted during a 2023 football camp.
Racial Harassment at the Core of the Case
The Black student, who was targeted with racial slurs before, during and after the attack, testified that the abuse was relentless. His mother, Amanda Daylong, described the emotional toll on the family, while attorney Marcus Sweetser argued that the district’s negligence was reckless and demanded accountability.
Sweetser had initially sought $46.8 million, citing the victims’ mental anguish, humiliation, physical pain and the loss of normal teenage life. The jury’s decision allocated $8 million to the Black victim and $7 million to the white victim, with each set of parents receiving $500,000.
District’s Failure to Protect
The trial uncovered that Superintendent Travis Hanson had edited reports to remove references to racial discrimination, a move that investigators said concealed the true scope of the harassment. The district was found liable for both failing to protect students and mishandling reports of sexual assault.
Five assailants involved in the assault reached a diversion agreement that may require community service and counseling, but the legal focus remains on the district’s broader responsibility.
While the district acknowledged the harm caused, it has not yet commented on the ruling, stating only that it will consider its next steps.
Eastern Washington University, which had been mentioned in connection with the case, issued no public statement.