Fifth-Grader Accused Of Harassment Woman: Boy Purposely Pulled Down Girl’s Skirt

A north Spokane woman is accusing a fifth-grade boy of sexually harassing her 6-year-old daughter by pulling down her skirt on the playground.

Shiloh Hills Elementary School principal Joan Davis said she launched an investigation Tuesday to find out whether it’s a case of “playing too rough” or “going after a little girl.”

Lori Mork said her daughter, Lacey, was depressed and had trouble eating after the boy deliberately yanked down her skirt in front of her playmates.

“It’s her first time at school, and she’s upset,” said Mork, 35. “As a parent, I’m very upset. I said, ‘That’s sexual harassment.”’

Mead School District is taking its harassment allegation seriously, said Davis.

“I believe our public is, rightfully so, more demanding that they come into public institutions and be treated in a fair manner without intimidation and having to be harassed,” said Gary Ferney, assistant superintendent.

Ferney said the children’s parents and everyone involved are being questioned about the incident.

It began when the boy, enrolled in a YMCA-run day-care program at Shiloh Elementary, was playing a game of chase after school Oct. 9, said Rich Wallis, the YMCA’s executive director.

“As he was reaching out to grab or tag her, he fell and accidentally pulled down her skirt,” said Wallis.

Wallis wasn’t there, but he said he questioned employees about what happened.

“The boy said it was an accident. The girl wasn’t saying any differently - of course, she’s a kindergartner,” Wallis said.

School officials didn’t identify the boy. Attempts to reach his parents were unsuccessful.

Davis said she’s never before encountered a complaint of sexual harassment among children so young.

“It’s all new to us,” she said. “Before we had sexual harassment, it was termed being physically aggressive to another child.”

She said she may have to consult a lawyer to find out exactly what constitutes sexual harassment among school children.

Mead School District policy defines it as “unwelcome conduct, either sexual or non-sexual, that is directed toward a person because of that person’s gender.”

The most similar incident Davis could recall was when one boy pulled down another boy’s pants to embarrass him.

“Part of being in school is learning what is OK to do and what isn’t OK to do. It’s not OK to do that, but we deal with it as learning rather than as sexual harassment,” Davis said.

Mork, who has three children, said she is furious because teachers simply told the boy not to do it again.

“I’m not going to accept this from a fifth-grader,” she said. “If you let this go, who knows how he’s going to end up?”

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