NEWPORT, R.I. — The family of a former Rogers High School student has taken the city of Newport and several school officials to court, arguing they ignored months of bullying complaints before football teammates attacked the teen in a locker room in October 2025.
The civil complaint, filed in Newport County Superior Court, says administrators and athletic staff were aware that the teen, a special-needs student, had been singled out, yet did not do enough to keep him safe. None of the claims have been proven in court, and a city spokesperson would not comment, pointing to the pending case.
Video of the assault spread online and appeared to show students striking the teen with a whip while others filmed. Police arrested four students after the attack; two were 16, one was 14 and one was 17.
His mother has said she filed repeated complaints about bullying, asked for added safety steps and was brushed off. She has also said she spent whole school days parked outside the building so she would be close by if he needed her.
The teen left Rogers afterward and finished his senior year with private tutoring.
After the attack the Newport School Committee ordered an independent review of the incident and of how the school handled safety concerns. The committee got the findings on Feb. 2, 2026, and placed the principal on leave. The review flagged problems with student safety, staff awareness, oversight and school culture and made 27 recommendations.
The district has kept the full report private, citing federal student privacy law. The lawsuit asks for compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, a jury trial and public release of that report. It lists no dollar amount.
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Filed under: Newport RI Education News
