NewsCrime and Courts

Actions

Complaint filed in federal court involving Glacier High School wrestling program

Glacier High School
Posted

KALISPELL — We have an update to a story we shared last January about alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Glacier High School wrestling team.

MTN News has received court documents detailing a new complaint and a demand for a jury trial filed in federal court in Missoula against defendants with the Kalispell School District and Glacier High School.

The plaintiff’s mother — who is being represented by a law firm out of Helena — filed the complaint on behalf of her minor son.

The complaint alleges the plaintiff was sexually assaulted in the back of the school bus by two older members of the wrestling team when the team was traveling home from a tournament in Billings in February of 2022.

The Plaintiff’s mother said her child has suffered severe physical and emotional harm and is asking for $650,000 and a jury trial.

Disciplinary action was taken against three students at Glacier High School last February, excluding them from extracurricular activities for the remainder of the school year. They were also required to attend the Center for Restorative Youth Justice Program.

Last January, a Tort Claim directed to the Kalispell School District from a law firm in Kalispell said the alleged assaults were caused by a culture and tradition of hazing at Glacier High School and its wrestling program.

A summons has been issued to Kalispell Public Schools and the defendants to respond to the civil lawsuit. They have a few weeks to file a response with the court.

We will have more information on this story as it develops.