YOUNGSTOWN - Ursuline High School and the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown formally denied allegations Monday that school officials failed to protect a female student from assault and harassment by a football player.

In a response filed in the U.S. District Court, the school, the diocese, Assistant Principal Margaret Damore, and Athletic Director John DeSantis rejected claims that they ignored state laws requiring them to report child abuse.

The filing addresses an amended lawsuit brought by a mother and daughter, identified in court records as Jane Doe and Daughter Doe to protect the minor’s identity. The complaint alleges that a football player, identified only as R.H., assaulted the girl during a summer gym class in June 2023 and subjected her to ongoing sexual harassment.

The lawsuit states that R.H. threw rubber turf pellets at the girl, dragged her across an athletic field, and dropped her, causing turf burns and open wounds. It further claims that administrators discouraged the family from going to the police and failed to contact children’s services as required by Ohio’s mandatory reporting laws.

In Monday's filing, attorneys for the school and diocese admitted that an "alleged physical interaction" occurred between the two students. However, they argued the incident did not meet the legal definition of abuse that requires a report to authorities under Ohio law.

School officials stated they investigated the matter internally and issued "reasonable and appropriate discipline" to the male student. They noted that federal student privacy laws prevented them from disclosing the specific details of that punishment to the girl’s family.

The response also disputed the severity of the girl’s injuries. Referring to photographs cited in the lawsuit, the filing stated the images show "no open wounds" or embedded turf pellets.

While the lawsuit accuses the administration of prioritizing the football program over student safety, the school’s response denied those claims. It stated that DeSantis was not aware of further issues between the students until later reports were made.

The filing also addressed the girl’s five-day suspension later in the school year. While the family characterized the incident as "silliness" involving a prank text sent to a teacher regarding a dating app, the school maintained the student violated the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct by improperly texting a faculty member.

The defendants stated that the girl admitted to the misconduct only after an investigation. Officials defended the punishment as "reasonable and appropriate" and disputed claims that another student involved received a lighter penalty, stating that the other student withdrew from the school before discipline could be issued.

The diocese and school officials have asked the court to dismiss the case. A case management conference is scheduled for January.