Lawsuit claims teen was assaulted at Upstate boarding school
OCCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Parents are filing a federal lawsuit against a local school for failing to protect their child from assault and abuse while under the school's care.
On January 17, a mother and father filed a lawsuit on behalf of their son, known only as 'John Doe' in the lawsuit, who attended Whetstone Academy during the 2024 fall semester.
Whetstone Academy is a 'therapeutic boarding school' located in the Mountain Rest community of Oconee County. Their student roster consists of young boys in grades five through nine.
The lawsuit claims that John Doe attended Whetstone Academy during the months of September through November, when Doe was 14 years old. Doe's parents lived in California when they sent him to the school, and had limited contact with their son through the form of letters.
The lawsuit claims that, during his time at the Academy, Doe's parents noticed that he was showing increased signs of anxiety, with Doe writing to his mother that he was wetting the bed, a behavior the parents claimed was not seen in their son for a long time. When the parents visited Doe for his birthday in mid-October, Doe told his parents that he was kept outdoor for up to 12 hours a time. Around this time, Doe also started making suggestive comments, telling his parents that another student had touched him inappropriately and asked Doe to touch him.
PAST COVERAGE: Teen was sexually abused at Upstate therapeutic boarding school, lawsuit says
Around November, John Doe told his family during another visit that another student had sexually assaulted him multiple times.
7NEWS reached out to Whetstone for a response. The statement is as followed:
'Whetstone Academy is focused on ensuring that every student is cared for in a safe and nurturing environment with close daily supervision and overnight awake staff. As a therapeutic Boarding School, we work with adolescents whose behaviors have escalated to the point that they can no longer remain in the home.
The allegations alleged in the lawsuit were reported to the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Whetstone Academy and staff fully cooperated with the investigation by DSS. DSS reported that the allegations were 'unfounded;' further, after a law enforcement investigation, no charges were filed.
Whetstone is proud of the success of our students. We are part of an independent longitudinal research study that shows sustained progress long after graduation. '
John Singleton, Owner and CEO of Whetstone Academy
The lawsuit stated that Whetstone Academy has had multiple cases of alleged sexual abuse and inhumane treatment, extending as far back as 2016.
The lawsuit, in its entirety, can be read below:
Whetstone-Academy-lawsuitDownload
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