Two Altoona families who sued their children’s schools over alleged bullying have reached settlements for a combined total of more than $200,000.
Benjamin and Amanda Fogle sued Southeast Polk Community School District in January 2024, alleging their child faced repeated and violent instances of bullying over perceived sexual orientation. Teachers witnessed many of the alleged assaults but allowed them to continue for months, only moving the bully to another class after the Fogles filed police reports.
The following month, Ashley and Ryan Hall sued the district on behalf of their child, who received special education services and allegedly faced “relentless verbal bullying” and threats that eventually escalated to video-recorded physical assaults by classmates, as well as dismissive and belittling comments from teachers. District officials failed to respond beyond a “safety plan” that was never put into action, the complaint alleged.
The litigation has included a trip to the Iowa Supreme Court, which in 2025 upheld a district court’s rejection of the school district’s motion to dismiss the suit. The court ruled that claims like the Fogles’ and Halls’, made under the Iowa Civil Rights Act, are not subject to Iowa’s 2021 qualified immunity statute, which limits the liability of public officials.
The cases were set for trial in October and November 2027, but now have been resolved in separate settlements. The agreements, provided by the district pursuant to records requests, show Southeast Polk agreed to pay the Fogles $60,000. The Halls, meanwhile, will receive $165,000. Half of each settlement is earmarked for attorney’s fees.
Attorney Chris Stewart, representing both families, said in an email that thay “are happy the matters were brought to a close and they hope the district looks at these resolutions as an opportunity to better student experience districtwide.”
Hunter Fleshner, a spokesperson for the district, said in an email that “the parties reached a resolution that avoids the need for continued litigation, leading to the settlement agreement approved by the Board.”
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Families settle bullying lawsuits with Southeast Polk schools
Reporting by William Morris, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By William Morris, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
