FARMINGTON, Utah, Aug. 8, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The Davis School District and the family of Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor have released a joint statement after confirming a $2 million settlement in the case between the district and Tichenor’s survivors.
Tichenor was 10 on Nov. 6, 2021, when her mother said she committed suicide after alleged bullying from other students at North Salt Lake’s Foxboro Elementary, which school officials did not intervene to stop.
Tichenor, who was Black, was reportedly bullied because of her race and her autism, the lawsuit claimed. Nearly a year later, on Nov. 3 of 2022, Utah attorney Tyler Ayers and civil rights lawyer Milton Grimes announced their intent to sue Davis School District for $14 million in damages on behalf of Tichenor’s family.
The joint statement follows, as does a statement on steps the Davis School District has taken to improve conditions in the future.
The statement of resolution
“The tragic loss of Isabella ‘Izzy’ Tichenor in November of 2021 will always impact our community and school. Working together, Davis School District and Izzy’s family have reached a mutual resolution.
“Davis School District is committed to making schools a safe and welcoming environment for all. Any form of racism, bigotry, discrimination, or harassment within our schools is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The district encourages anyone who observes a student or staff member being harassed or bullied to report it right away. Reports of bullying will be thoroughly documented, addressed promptly, and appropriate consequences will be administered.
“While Davis School District and its staff have made profound and meaningful progress, there is still work to be done. The District is continually assessing and expanding its processes and efforts to better support every student who attends its schools, including implementing trauma-informed counseling and other resources for its students.
“The District continues to provide necessary training to ensure compliance with all applicable guidelines and recommendations and is dedicated to creating environments to encourage open dialogue and discussions that promote mutual learning, respect and empathy, free from any undue pressure on individual students.
“The District is wholly committed to continuing to implement changes to positively impact students, staff and the community.”
Davis District plan
The Davis School District also released a letter sent to several people it said were instrumental in the settlement, apparently including parents of three students who also suffered negative experiences. “Thank you for your collaboration with Davis School District to bring a mutual resolution and closure to this legal case.
“On behalf of the Davis School District, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to you, and most especially, to
your three children for the unwelcome experiences they had while attending school in our district. I am grateful to
you for bringing your children’s experiences to our attention. Our primary goal is to make sure that students enter
and enjoy a safe, productive, and welcoming learning environment. We have not met our goal when student
experiences fall short of that standard.
“We are committed to making Davis School District a safe and welcoming environment for all. It remains our policy
that any form of racism, bigotry, discrimination, or harassment will not be tolerated by Davis School District. While
changes will not happen overnight, it is well underway. As a district, we are continuing to make improvements to
positively impact our students, staff and community.
It said milestones in this regard have included:
- Creation of the Office of Equal Opportunity
- Appointment of an assistant superintendent position with responsibility for Equal Opportunity
- Creation of the Harassment and Discrimination Policy (11IR-100)
- Creation of the Harassment and Discrimination Reporting System (HDRS)
- All employee training on mandatory reporting of harassment and discrimination
- All administrator training on processes for reporting, investigation, and resolution
The letter ended with: “Our work is not done, but with your help, we are building a legacy of positive change. It remains the top priority for our District to continue to improve experiences for all our students, staff, and school communities.”
