Latest news with #RanchoHighSchool
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
School let vicious gang of bullies beat disabled student, 17, to death, stricken dad's lawsuit claims
The father of a Las Vegas high schooler who was beaten to death by a gang of bullies has launched a lawsuit accusing his son's school district of allowing it to happen. Jonathan Lewis Sr. claims the November 2023 death of Jonathan Lewis, 17, was the result of widespread negligence on the part of the Clark County School District (CCSD). Lewis was violently stomped to death outside Rancho High School with his agonizing final moments were captured in now viral-footage. The harrowing clip which showed him being savagely attacked by a swarm of bullies, four of whom later pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Jonathan Sr said the school 'should have been on notice' for potential violence at the time in a complaint filed this week in which he accused the school district of negligent hiring, training and supervision. Jonathan Sr also alleged that the CCSD knew the bullies who attacked his son had a 'pattern of aggressive behavior' and 'should have been on notice of escalating tensions' between them. Lewis died after he was led to an area around the back of Rancho High School to confront the group over a previous altercation involving a friend. His father's suit claims that the CCSD knew that the area was a 'gathering spot' for fighting among students. 'Despite this knowledge, CCSD failed to take reasonable steps to supervise students in or near the area, implement preventative and security measures, restrict or exclude access, or notify law enforcement,' the lawsuit alleges. Jonathan Sr's lawsuit follows a similar court filing from Jonathan's mother Melissa Ready in April, where she also accused the CCSD of wrongful death and negligence. She also alleged that there had been at least one previous fight between Jonathan and the bullies who killed him, and said the school district 'owed a duty to supervise students, investigate and respond to threats of violence'. That lawsuit is still ongoing, and CCSD said at the time that it could not comment on pending litigation. In his complaint, Jonathan Sr pointed out that his son was a special needs student, and said that he should have been provided with 'reasonable supervision and protection' against his bullies. He accused the CCSD of failing to adequately train its employees on how to control and prevent bullying, and said that Jonathan's death could have been avoided. CCSD told Fox5 it cannot comment on pending litigation. Daily Mail has contacted CCSD for comment. Jonathan's family described him as a 'loving, giving, kind, fierce young man', and said he was trying to help a friend when he was savagely beaten. The mob had reportedly stolen a pair of headphones from his friend days before and stuffed him in a trash can, leading Jonathan to confront the bullies to get the device back. The savage beating of a white teen by mainly black assailants sparked a media firestorm at the time, but Jonathan Sr told NewsNation that he condemned the implication that race had anything to do with it. He branded it a 'disgrace to my son's memory'. Sickening videos of the attack showed a group of teens hitting, kicking and stomping Lewis to the point of unconsciousness. Footage also showed Lewis being carried to safety by a student and neighbor back to the high school after the savage attack. Jonathan was hospitalized and placed on life support for a week after suffering 'nonsurvivable head trauma', and his death was ruled a homicide after he was declared brain dead. Four teens - Dontral Beaver, 16, Damian Hernandez, 18, Treavion Randolph, 16, and Gianni Robinson, 17 - were arrested and charged as adults over the incident. Their cases were transferred to juvenile court in August 2024 as part of a plea deal, agreeing to admit to manslaughter. Ready slammed the plea deal at the time, saying: 'There's literally no one being held accountable with true punishment for my son's murder. It's disgusting.' Jonathan's father said that his heartbreak over losing his son was only helped by knowing that he was helping a friend from bullies in his final moments. 'Jonathan knew the strength of love, that's what we teach in our family,' he told NewsNation at the time. 'Love is the greatest strength and we protect our family members, and have a deep sense of community, and I think that just inspired him to do so.'
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Former student highlights CCSD's efforts to support kids in need
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — According to the Clark County School District, more than 13,000 students are experiencing homelessness in Clark County. 'I predict it's going to be very similar to last year, I don't think the numbers are going to go down,' Meg Pike with CCSD said. The district has programs and partners with other organizations to provide them support. Former student of Rancho High School Jazzmine Adair shared with 8 News Now her story about experiencing homelessness while in school. 'My first period, I was always late because I would change in the bathroom like every day,' Adair said. '[I] experiencing homelessness, an abusive household, [and] moving around.' Adair said she spent time living in shelters to even sleeping in a park with her family. 'I categorize it as the best and worst time of my life,' she said. Timing is everything, and she said it is what makes her good at her job now. Having walked the halls as a student at Rancho High School, she now walks them working for the nonprofit that helped her find a path forward. Communities in Schools of Nevada supports underserved students to stay in school. It is available to students at schools like Rancho High, where school-based programs empower kids like Adair. 'They need somebody to tell them they can do it,' Adair said. Schools often partner with nonprofits to help students thrive. While Communities in Schools is a valuable resource, it can't do it alone. It works with CCSD's Title 1 Homeless Outreach Program for Education, or HOPE, to remove barriers for students experiencing homelessness. It also partners with an online nonprofit called Purposity. This is an app where community members can support students without leaving their homes through simple donations from a cell phone. It's a year-round effort, especially during the holidays. 'I've also seen people request suitcases on that platform because people are moving around,' Meg Pike, CCSD's Title 1 HOPE coordinator, said. She's one out of 13 staff members in the program covering the entire school district. 'Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, 'I want to be homeless,'' Pike said. 'I think it's easy for the general public, it's not easy for this staff or anybody in this building, partly because we are mandated to know how many students.' Her message: no one should forget that. 'I am positive that there are families out there that are experiencing that right now,' she shared. Right now, many programs and nonprofits across the valley are making it easier for them. Most of all for current and former students like Jazzmine, who now feel seen. 'I love being here,' Jazzmine said about working for Communities in Schools at Rancho High School. Pike said for the 2023-24 school year, more than 230 students were served through Purposity donations. She also mentioned that the school district is working on a documentary called 'Learning to Survive: A Lesson in Student Homelessness.' It addresses students experiencing homelessness in Clark County. At the time this story was published, a set air date for the documentary was yet to be determined. According to its YouTube page, it was supposed to be out by Spring of 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
