Jewish student sues Seattle Public Schools after administration allows months-long antisemitic bullying campaign against her: lawsuit

The complaint, which was filed in King County Superior Court and obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, paints a disturbing picture of unchecked hostility at the North Seattle school throughout the 2023–2024 academic year. Plaintiffs JK and RL, along with their 15-year-old daughter MKL, allege that SPS failed to protect their child and instead allowed her to become the repeated target of verbal abuse, threats, cyberbullying, and physical intimidation because she is Jewish.

According to the 13-page legal filing, the abuse began shortly after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Tensions surged at Nathan Hale, and MKL —a freshman, the only Jewish member of the softball team, and one of very few openly Jewish students at the school—quickly became a visible target.

She reported hearing antisemitic slurs in hallways and classrooms, including “Hitler’s plan should have worked” and “I hate the Jews.” The abuse escalated from verbal harassment to physical intimidation. One student allegedly yelled at her with such force that spit landed on her face, telling her she “deserved it” for being Jewish and threatening to assault her if she wore Hanukkah-themed clothing to school.

Despite the family reporting this to Principal Jackson, the lawsuit claims the school took no meaningful action. Jackson allegedly acknowledged that the harassment was frequent and severe but failed to implement safety measures or disciplinary steps. Even requests to preserve hallway security footage from an incident where the student was spat on were ignored and the family believes the video was deleted.

Over the following months, antisemitic symbols and messages allegedly appeared repeatedly throughout the school. Graffiti combining swastikas with “Free Palestine” slogans were seen in bathrooms and on school property. In one instance, a swastika was drawn on a bench in the girls' home softball dugout, where MKL kept her belongings during games.

When MKL reported this to an assistant coach, she was told the symbol “didn’t look like a swastika.” The head coach reportedly said he would report it, but the complaint states that no action was ever taken by school officials, including Principal Jackson.

In class, while reading the book Night by Elie Wiesel, students allegedly laughed at Holocaust passages and one even drew a swastika on MKL’s folder. Another Jewish student reported that a classmate said, “the bad thing about this book is that Hitler didn’t finish.” Teachers allegedly did not intervene.

The complaint states that in the spring, harassment extended to social media. The Nathan Hale Muslim Student Association's Instagram account allegedly posted offensive messages targeting MKL, and a TikTok video falsely accused her of using a racial slur—allegations the family says were intended to label her a racist based solely on her Jewish identity.

The video went unchallenged by school administrators and remained online, damaging MKL’s reputation among peers both at Nathan Hale and neighboring schools.

According to the lawsuit, the situation reached a crisis point on May 22, 2024. That day, multiple students entered MKL’s classes one by one, attempting to coax her into the hallway. Her sixth-period teacher, Ms. Lynch, sensing a setup, locked the classroom door and kept MKL inside. A group of about 20 students then gathered outside, banging on the door and shouting threats and antisemitic slurs.

MKL received text messages warning her she would be attacked. Terrified, she texted her mother “Mom. I rlly rlly rlly need you,” and called her father as the mob attempted to breach the classroom.

Though school security eventually escorted her to the office, the next day Vice Principal Steward-Monroe reportedly told the family the school did not have the resources to continue providing an escort for MKL She did not return to Nathan Hale for the rest of the school year.

The lawsuit alleges that due to the trauma, MKL developed severe anxiety, nightmares, and an intense fear of returning to school. Despite an agreement to provide pass/fail grades due to her forced absence, Nathan Hale allegedly reneged on this, negatively impacting her GPA. The district refused to grant her a safety transfer and instead told her to apply through the general transfer process.

During a June IEP meeting, Principal Jackson reportedly refused to appear in person and left the Zoom call early without answering questions about how the school was addressing antisemitism.

The plaintiffs are suing for violations of the Washington Law Against Discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, negligent supervision, and loss of consortium. They are seeking damages for emotional trauma, educational harm, and attorneys’ fees.

According to the complaint, “the District was unwilling to alleviate MKL’s hostile learning environment and unwilling to mitigate the distress she endured.”

“This wasn’t just bullying—it was a campaign of hate that went unchecked by those in power,” said Emma Aubrey, one of the attorneys representing the family. “The school and the district not only failed to act—they enabled this violence through their silence.”

“The District’s failure to provide a safe educational environment not only harmed our client—it sent a message that antisemitism is tolerated,” said co-counsel Seth Rosenberg. “That is unacceptable in any public institution, let alone in our schools.”

Seattle Public Schools said in a statement to The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, “SPS will review and address these allegations. The district remains dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for all students, and does not tolerate racism, discrimination, or violence in any form.”