Girls matter? Huron Schools outline student safety efforts
Announcement fails to mention sexual harassment, assault and other misconduct or the school's failure to protect them from student athletes
HURON — Years after the Huron school board pledged to “get it right” in protecting female students from harassment and assault, the district is pointing to a wide array of new safety initiatives as evidence that change is underway.
Superintendent James Tatman provided a summary of the efforts in response to questions that arose after a former student filed a federal lawsuit in August contending she was sexually harassed by classmates beginning when she was 13.
It’s been a long time coming, since 2019, when she and two other girls enrolled at McCormick Middle School began reporting incidents of sexual harassment, groping, assault and other sexual violence from student athletes at the school, who they said were not being held accountable for their actions.
In fact, all three girls claimed in lawsuits against the district that district employees failed to protect them from the harassment, and allowed it to continue. Two of the lawsuits were settled in August 2022, with the district’s insurance company agreeing to pay one girl $375,000 and pay the other one $250,000. The third lawsuit was filed Aug. 7, and claims the school district allowed her to be harassed for three years until she transferred out of Huron High School in her junior year.
It was in August 2022, when the school board voted to approve the settlements for the first two lawsuits, when board members vowed to fix the problem. Since then, however, they haven’t spoken during any official proceeding about any specific steps how to stop harassment and gender discrimination in the schools. The board hasn’t had any open discussion, hasn’t asked anyone to speak to the board on behalf of victims, and hasn’t implemented any programming or training.
There’s also no records showing key district employees were ever spoken with about the allegations or potential solutions, although the district is improperly, without explanation, withholding some personnel records that are critical of a district staff member.
Superintendent Tatman’s announcement on Friday is more vague than it is responsive to the questions that have been raised.
He outlined new policies, facility upgrades and student supports that he said are “designed to ensure every student learns in a secure, supportive, and welcoming environment.”
The measures include:
Title IX compliance and training: District staff receive annual awareness training, while principals Mark Doughty (McCormick Middle School) and Tim Lamb (Huron High School) now serve as Title IX coordinators.
Security upgrades: Safety film on doors, controlled entry vestibules, a badge paging system for staff, and a districtwide phone system overhaul.
Threat assessment teams: Required under Ohio law, these multidisciplinary teams include administrators, teachers, police, and mental health professionals.
Expanded student support: Four full-time counselors, additional social workers, and staff trained in crisis prevention and restorative practices.
Community partnerships: Ongoing collaboration with Huron Police Department, a new School Resource Officer, and programs like the Lions Club’s “Good Student” initiative.
Tatman emphasized that student safety has become the district’s “cornerstone priority” and tied the work directly to Huron’s mission to “engage, equip, and empower every student to reach their full potential.”
The district’s new measures, Tatman said, are intended to make good on the school board’s earlier vow to strengthen protections for all students.
“From secure facilities to robust partnerships and comprehensive staff training, Huron City Schools is dedicated to creating an environment where students can learn and grow with complete confidence,” Tatman said.
Whether families and community members believe the changes go far enough — and whether they make a difference in preventing future harm — remains an open question.