YOUNGSTOWN Ursuline High School issued a public response Monday to a new federal civil rights lawsuit, calling the latest allegations “extremely upsetting and upsetting” if true.

The statement says the school will allow the legal process to proceed while affirming that its administrators followed established policies in handling the alleged student concerns.

The new complaint accuses members of the Ursuline football team of bullying and discrimination against a gay freshman student during the 2023-24 school year. The suit alleges the harassment, which included homophobic slurs and a physical assault, continued in front of teachers and was reported by the student’s grandmother without effective administrative action.

In its statement, the school urged the public, and its own community, to regard the legal claims as unproven allegations.

"Legal counsel filing such complaints will often cast the allegations in sensational and melodramatic language as a tactic," the school's statement read. "That does not make them true."

The school stated that its administration was aware of the alleged concerns involving the student and family. School records indicate administration "handled the alleged concerns correctly under our policies and procedures," according to the statement.

Ursuline emphasized that its ability to share information publicly remains limited due to active litigation and the need to protect the privacy of all involved parties.

"The safety of our students is the most serious issue we face every day," the statement continued. "Nothing is more important. While we continue to honor the legal process and the privacy of all involved, our dedication to right, to restorative justice and to healing will guide our response."

The school said it would not comment further given the sensitivity of the ongoing situation and the requirements of the legal and investigative process.

The new complaint is the latest of several federal civil rights lawsuits filed against the school and its football program, which have alleged systemic failures by the administration to address issues including hazing and sexual harassment. The student in the latest suit has reportedly transferred to another school.

This is the complete statement from Ursuline High School.

The new complaint, which we now are reviewing, brings additional allegations that describe actions, if true, that are extremely upsetting and unacceptable.

We must emphasize again that we will allow the legal process to proceed to accord proper respect and due process for all parties involved.

As with the previous complaints, we continue to be limited in what we can share publicly given the privacy issues involved and the fact we are facing active litigation. That said, Ursuline’s administration was aware of the alleged concerns involving this student and family and our records indicate administration handled the alleged concerns correctly under our policies and procedures.

We also want to remind everyone and especially our Ursuline community that any allegations in a legal claim must be regarded as just that – unproven allegations. Legal counsel filing such complaints will often cast the allegations in sensational and melodramatic language as a tactic. That does not make them true.

The safety of our students is the most serious issue we face every day. Nothing is more important. While we continue to honor the legal process and the privacy of all involved, our dedication to right, to restorative justice and to healing will guide our response.

Given the sensitivity of the ongoing situation and the requirements of the legal and investigative process we cannot comment further.