Brentwood Academy — established in 1969 and where ‘intellectual growth begins with knowing truth’ — is led by triangle philosophy; symbolizing the spiritual, academic and athletic dimensions of a whole person (certainly by analogy with holy Trinity).
A Nashville parent and her son filed a lawsuit in Williamson County Circuit Court and accused four eighth-grade students at Brentwood Academy of repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting a sixth-grade student during the 2014-15 academic year. When the boy’s mother told Brentwood’s authorities about the attacks, the lawsuit states that the boy’s private counselor, a former Brentwood Academy employee, shied away from reporting the abuse to authorities, saying “this isn’t how Christian institutions handle these things.”
Brentwood Academy Headmaster Curtis G. Masters is accused of telling the 12-year-old boy to "turn the other cheek" and "everything in God's kingdom happens for a reason." Turning the other cheek — also known as offering [one's] cheek — is a phrase in Christian doctrine that refers to responding to injury without revenge.
A family claims their 12-year-old son was orally and anally raped by a group of older boys in addition to other acts of sexual assault. “At no point before or during the investigation in 2015 did I (or anyone on our staff to my knowledge) hear any allegation of rape,” Masters said in the statement, emailed by a school representative. “When we heard of inappropriate activity, we responded immediately and thoroughly, cooperated fully with the authorities, and took appropriate disciplinary action based on what we knew. Certain allegations in the lawsuit and highlighted in the media are not factual, will be disputed, and our defense will be vigorous.”
On five separate dates during the 2014-15 school year, four eighth-grade male students at Brentwood Academy sexually assaulted John Doe, a sixth-grader, the lawsuit states. Jane Doe took her son to a pediatrician, who stated "if Daystar Counseling failed to contact Department of Children Services immediately then he would do so," because Tennessee law requires counselors and school officials to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
The lawsuit appears to request $60 million in total damages — $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages for both John and Jane Doe — but plaintiff's attorney Roland Mumford clarified total damages sought is $30 million.
Photo Credits: Imaginie
