The John Cooper School is pushing to shut down a $15 million lawsuit brought by the parents of a 13-year-old student who says their daughter was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a classmate. The family alleges the behavior continued for weeks in 2024 and that administrators brushed it off instead of acting decisively. The school is now asking a judge to toss the case on procedural grounds.
In a court filing dated Dec. 1, attorneys for the school, through Houston firm Fisher & Phillis LLP, deny “each and every allegation” and ask the court to dismiss the suit. They argue the parents' claims are blocked by the statute of limitations and by an "assumption of risk" clause in the school's enrollment contract. The response also accuses the parents of failing to mitigate their alleged damages and demands strict proof of any wrongdoing, according to the Houston Chronicle.
What the lawsuit alleges
The civil complaint, filed in early November in Harris County, states that students reported a boy touching the girl's breasts and genitals "over her clothing" and that administrators allegedly downplayed the conduct as "footsies." The filing says the girl's parents were kept in the dark for weeks and that "It was only then that (the girl's) parents learned that (he) had been sexually assaulting (her) for weeks." The family is seeking more than $15 million in damages and accuses the school of concealing the full scope of the alleged misconduct, according to the Houston Chronicle.
School's response and defense
School officials told reporters they investigated the reports and took steps to separate the students, describing those actions in court filings as reasonable and timely. In its legal response, the school contends the parents waited too long to sue and cites contract language that it says limits the institution's legal exposure, according to YourConroeNews. The school also told the outlet that it "prioritizes student safety above all" while firmly disputing how the lawsuit portrays what happened.
Why the law matters
The dispute is unfolding in the shadow of recent changes to Texas law that tightened reporting deadlines and expanded potential liability in school misconduct cases. The Texas Education Agency notes that Senate Bill 571 and HB 4623 narrowed how quickly schools must report certain incidents and broadened civil exposure for some misconduct situations, putting institutional responses squarely under the legal microscope, according to the Texas Education Agency. Lawyers on both sides are expected to lean heavily on those statutes as pretrial arguments ramp up.
What's next
The lawsuit will remain in Harris County civil court unless a judge grants the school's motion to dismiss. If the case survives that challenge, it will move into discovery, where internal school records, emails, and witness testimony are likely to take center stage. Montgomery County officials told reporters they investigated and closed any criminal inquiry related to the incidents, and the civil case will proceed on its own track, according to YourConroeNews. Advocates say the outcome could influence how private schools across the region respond to future reports of peer-on-peer misconduct.
For parents in The Woodlands and beyond, the case highlights ongoing tensions over transparency, disciplin,e and how far private schools must go to protect students and keep families informed. Both the family and the school have indicated they will let the legal process run its course, and it will ultimately fall to the court record to sort out which version of events stands up under scrutiny.
