Florida boy, 11, died by suicide after bullying from teacher: Lawsuit

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A Florida boy took his own life after “months of bullying and public embarrassment” from his teacher, a lawsuit alleges.

Two years after Louis “LJ” Johnson, 11, shot himself, his parents are suing the Marion County School Board for negligence and failing to protect their son from the person allegedly behind the bullying — fifth-grade teacher Donna White.

White, a former teacher at Legacy Elementary School in Ocala, Florida, called Johnson “stupid” and said he “didn’t know anything,” and also enlisted other students to bully him, according to the wrongful death lawsuit documents obtained by People.

Tyka Johnson and Louis Johnson Jr., alleged that White “constantly, consistently and relentlessly publicly humiliated minor child [LJ] in front of his peers, calling him ‘stupid’ and ridiculing him in front of his classmates on several occasions over the span of months,” the filing read.

They also claim that White would “recruit other students to ridicule” LJ and urge them to agree with her insults.

“I don’t know why you’re talking because you don’t even know anything,” White told Johnson, according to the lawsuit, which was filed on April 21.

“You don’t know nothing in this class,” she allegedly continued. “Isn’t that right, kids?”

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The Johnsons said they reported the alleged bullying to the school and school board, and the board of negligence, noting the child suffered depression and anxiety before his attempted suicide on April 27, 2023.

The boy died two days later in the hospital from his injuries, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

A June 2023 investigation into White’s behaviour was conducted, in which more than two dozen students, 12 of whom were White’s students, alleged that the ex-educator would sometimes make students cry and comment on students’ grades in the classroom, WCJB reported.

White’s “verbally insulting, humiliating, and embarrassing students” inflicted psychological distress on her victims, the probe concluded.

Marion County Public Schools did not renew White’s contract following the investigation.

The school board did not respond to The Toronto Sun’s requests for comment.

Johnson’s parents are demanding a trial by jury “as to all issues triable as a matter of right to a jury.”