Washoe County School District responds to explosive lawsuit against Galena High baseball program

Washoe County School District has suspended all activities of the Galena High baseball program following explosive allegations outlined in a lawsuit filed earlier this month.

The lawsuit, which was filed in the United States District Court on June 1, lists as defendants Washoe County School District;Beau Walker, Galena High's baseball coach and the school's dean of students; and 12 players on the Grizzlies baseball team, only one of which is cited by name.

The plaintiffs include Brooklyn Toni, who lists herself as a former team manager for Galena High baseball, and Dominique Jardin, the mother and legal guardian of an ex-Grizzlies baseball player who's name is not included in the lawsuit beyond the initials "N.J." Representing the plaintiffs are lawyers Sigal Chattah and Joey Gilbert, who have filed multiple lawsuits againstWashoe County School District in recent months.

The 48-page lawsuit includes allegations of libel, harassment, sexual and physical assault, stalking, bullying, racism, death threats, child pornography and embezzlement, among other claims.

"The safety and security of our students is always our top priority," Washoe County School District public information officer Victoria Campbell wrote in an email to Nevada Sports Net and KRNV. "To ensure the safety of all our student athletes, the Washoe County School District has made the decision to temporarily suspend all activities of the Galena High School baseball program. This includes all off-season programming and the use of facilities."

Washoe County School District did not answer whether Walker has been suspended from his dean of students job or whether he remains an active faculty member.Walker was hired as Galena's varsity baseball coach in September 2016 and recently finished his seventh season on the job. Walker was part of the coaching staff at theNorthern Nevada Baseball Coaches Association's annual Underclassman All-Star Game held June 4, three days after the lawsuit was filed. The Galena baseball season ended last month at the Northern 5A Regional tournament.

Walker did not immediately respond to a message left on his cell phone. Galena High athletic director Greg Sakelaris told NSN he could not comment on the lawsuit and referred any questions to Washoe Country School District. A message left for Galena High principalJay Salter through his administrative assistant was not immediately returned. A Facebook message left withToni, one of twoplaintiffs in the case, was not immediately returned. A message left withChattah's law firm also wasn't immediately returned.

“In response to the various social media posts by counsel and their supporters, the Washoe County School District asks the community not to jump to conclusions based on allegations found in lawsuits," Washoe County School District chief general counsel Neil A. Rombardo wrote in a news release to NSN and KRNV. "The District’s employees work hard every day to provide a Safe Respectful Learning Environment for our students, and it deserves its day in court like any other entity. Unlike opposing counsel, the Office of the General Counsel will not litigate this matter in the media, social media, or online posts, instead we look forward to vigorously representing our clients against these allegations in court.”

Neither Toni nor the minor plaintiff represented by Jardin finished school at Galena High, with both citing their allegations as reasons for leaving the school.Toni left Galena during her junior year of high school while the plaintiff labeled "N.J." did so this April. The allegations filed in the lawsuit include:

* Excessive and demeaning acts of sexual discrimination;

* Blatant and systemic acts of racial discrimination;

* Pervasive bullying and harassment;

* Assault and provoked assault;

* Excessive and demeaning sexual harassment, including daily and repetitive taunting by other players, mocking of their sexuality, their sex, sexually objectifying them and acting out sexual acts and expressions, belittling and humiliation based on perceived sexual orientation, sex, and gender identity;

* Lewd acts and expressions, obscenity, indecency, pornography involving minors, exhibition of obscene materials to minors, disseminating intimate images, and bullying by use of electronic communication devices;

* Retaliation for notification of the lewd acts and expressions, and abhorrent and disgusting behavior, that did include libel, harassment, provoking assault, stalking, hazing, obscene, threatening and annoying telephone calls, injury to and defacing certain property;

* Preventing or dissuading team members in their evidence and testimony, intimidating them not to speak up and to destroy all evidence, conspiring, and compounding their crimes; and embezzlement of funds.

This is the second lawsuit against a Galena High coach in recent years. In January 2017, three Grizzlies football players sued then-Galena High football coach Steve Struzyk along withthen-principal Tom Brown and the Washoe County School District in federal court. The suit was dropped in December 2017, with Struzyk resigning after the2017 season while saying the lawsuit did not impact that decision.

You can read this month's full lawsuit below, which contains graphic descriptions that might be sensitive for certain audiences.