In a tragic case highlighting the severe consequences of school bullying, the parents of 11-year-old Louis “LJ” Johnson III have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Marion County School Board in Ocala, Florida. They allege that their son endured relentless bullying by his fifth-grade teacher, Donna (or Dawn) White, at Legacy Elementary School, leading to his suicide on April 27, 2023.
According to the lawsuit, White publicly humiliated LJ by calling him “stupid” and encouraging other students to ridicule him. Despite the parents’ repeated complaints to school authorities, no action was taken to address the situation. Investigations involving over two dozen student testimonies supported claims of White’s emotionally abusive behavior. Consequently, the school district did not renew White’s contract after the internal inquiry.
LJ’s parents, Tyka Johnson and Louis Johnson Jr., remember their son as a kind-hearted child who loved the beach, cooking, and helping the homeless. In the wake of his death, they have engaged in suicide prevention efforts and created a GoFundMe campaign to honor his memory.
This case underscores the critical need for schools to take allegations of bullying seriously and to implement effective measures to protect students’ mental health and well-being.