In 2016, a then 15-year-old Myers Park freshman, Serena Evans, said she was raped in the boy’s bathroom of Myers Park High School. Before that incident, the lawsuit states Evans experienced sexual harassment at Alexander Graham Middle School, which occurred in classrooms and hallways and was observed and overheard by various teachers and administrators. Evans was encouraged to “ignore the boys” when she reported the incidents, according to the lawsuit.
The harassment outlined in the lawsuit included "unwanted physical touching, including groping her breasts and buttocks, 'accidentally' bumping into Plaintiff or grabbing Plaintiff when she was bent over, as well as verbal harassment such as vulgar and sexually suggestive comments about Plaintiff’s body and the perpetrators’ desire to have sex with her."
Former embattled Myers Park Principal Mark Bosco was the principal at the time of the incident. Although he is not listed as a defendant he is mentioned numerous times. According to the lawsuit when Evans’ mother emailed Bosco about the assault, she never received a response.
Last year, Bosco was suspended during an investigation into how sexual assault allegations were being conducted at Myers Park High after former Myers Park High students came forward with lawsuits alleging their sexual assault cases had been mishandled. Bosco was removed from his position as principal and reassigned.
