Father claims student strip-searched at Campbell Jr. High

Published 3:00 pm Friday, January 11, 2019

The father of a Robert D. Campbell Junior High student claims his daughter was strip-searched by two school administrators and is suing the school district.

The suit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Lexington, said the girl was called to the counselor’s office at the school on Oct. 7, 2018. When she arrived in the office of counselor Becca Boyd, Campbell Assistant Principal Kris Creteau was already there. The child, who was 12 at the time, was then told by Boyd and Creteau to strip to her underwear while she was searched.

The suit does not say why the student was searched.

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The father, identified only by the initials J.K., said his daughter “K.K.” was “severely frightened, alarmed and humiliated” by the search. He also claims the search was unconstitutional and illegal.

Clark County Public Schools Superintendent Paul Christy said Friday he has not been served with any paperwork or contacted about the lawsuit.

“I’ve not received anything or been made aware of any potential lawsuit against Clark County Public Schools,” he said. “We will work through it and do what we need to do.”

The lawsuit claims the district did not train its employees properly about the legal rights of children and were indifferent to the consequences.

The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and a trial by the court.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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