Idaho Teen Sues School District Over Racism, Bullying He Says Led To Rape

05:41

June 01, 2016

A sign welcomes residents and visitors to the tiny town in Dietrich, Idaho on Thursday, May 26, 2016. The small community is struggling with the national attention brought by reports that a disabled black football player was raped by his white high school teammates. (Kimberlee Kruesi/AP)

An Idaho teen is suing his school district, alleging that a sexual assault by three football players in his town was part of a systemic and on-going pattern of bullying, racial taunts and physical abuse.

The teen is black, and the three alleged assailants, who are also facing criminal charges, are white.

The federal suit alleges that the incidents happened in the presence of coaches and school officials, and included one incident where he was forced into a fist-fight by coaches, who said they wanted to ‘toughen him up.’

The 330-person town of Dietrich is predominantly white. The teen is one of several black children adopted by a local family. Here & Now's Robin Young talks with Alex Riggins, crime and courts reporter with the Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Note: The audio version of this story contains explicit discussion of rape and sexual assault.

Read Alex Riggins' story about the rape allegations for the Times-News

Guest

Alex Riggins, crime and courts reporter for the Times-News in Twin Falls, Idaho. He tweets @Alex_Riggins.

This segment aired on June 1, 2016.