SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — A Boise mother has filed a $50 million tort claim against the Boise School District, alleging her 8-year-old son was sexually assaulted multiple times by classmates inside an unsupervised bathroom at Hillcrest Elementary School.
The tort claim accuses the district of negligence, failure to supervise, and violations of the child’s constitutional rights. It alleges that school officials knew one of the students involved had a history of behavioral issues but failed to take protective action or notify families.
In an exclusive interview with Idaho News 6, the mother said her son didn’t disclose the abuse until the end of his fourth-grade year.
WATCH: Boise mother opens up about $50 million claim
“He doesn't want to go to school because he thinks everybody's mean,” she said. "And that’s really hard for me to hear."
“He came out and told me essentially that one of his friends had assaulted him… he said he put something in his rectum, and I had to ask him what it was… He did have to explain to me that it was part of his body. He was assaulted,” she shared.
According to the tort claim, the assaults occurred in a student bathroom used during lunch and recess. The mother said the restroom had been supervised earlier in the school year, but that supervision stopped halfway through her son’s third-grade year.
“They used to supervise this restroom until about halfway through third grade year, and then they stopped prioritizing supervising that restroom… and so it allowed for him to be assaulted more than once," the mom said.
She said one of the students involved had a known history of sexually inappropriate behavior.
“He was groping other children at school," she added. "That was a regular issue that the SRO was aware of, and none of the parents were aware of.”
“He had assaulted him and essentially was using scare tactics and control mechanisms to keep him under control so he didn't tell anybody,” she said.
The mother said the trauma has had a lasting impact on her son’s emotional well-being and ability to trust others. She’s now working flexible jobs and considering homeschooling as she seeks ongoing care for him.
“I decided to just do Uber and Lyft because it's more flexible so that I can homeschool my son… and he's gonna have lifelong problems,” she told Idaho News 6.
The tort claim seeks damages for emotional distress, psychological harm, and financial strain. The mother says the goal isn’t just a settlement, it’s systemic change.
“We shouldn't have to worry about sending our kids to school and them being assaulted,” she said.
The Boise School District says they cannot comment on ongoing litigation, but a spokesperson told Idaho News 6:
"While we will not discuss pending litigation at this time, we want to reassure our families that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We are committed to transparency and will continue to uphold the standards our community expects from us."
