Newport, R.I. – A local mother has taken legal action against the City of Newport and officials at Rogers High School, claiming the district ignored repeated warnings about bullying and failed to keep her special‑needs son safe.
Background and allegations
Susan Mello says her son repeatedly told her he felt unsafe at school. She alleges she raised concerns with school administrators long before an October 2025 incident in which several football players assaulted him inside a locker room. According to Mello, her complaints were dismissed as imagined problems.
“He kept telling me I don’t feel safe,” Mello told NBC 10 News. “I would sit in my car from the time I would drop him off at 8 a.m. until after football practice, just so if he ever needed to run, I would be there for him.”
Assault details and criminal response
Video of the assault circulated online, showing students whipping the victim while others recorded the event. Four students were arrested in connection with the attack.
Mello said the video confirmed what she had been telling school officials for months. “It shouldn’t have gotten to that point,” she said.
School district actions
Following public outcry, the Newport School Committee commissioned an independent investigation. In February 2026, the committee placed Rogers High School Principal Jared Vance on leave after reviewing the investigation’s findings.
The report identified serious concerns regarding student safety, staff awareness, administrative oversight, and school culture, and offered 27 recommendations. The district has not released the full report, citing student‑privacy protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Lawsuit aims
Mello’s lawsuit, filed in Newport County Superior Court, seeks monetary damages and the public release of the full investigative report. She argues that transparency is essential for understanding how the school handled the bullying complaints that preceded the assault.
“Because we really need to know the truth about what the findings were,” Mello said. “You can’t just leak out half a truth and expect it to be over.”
Impact on the student
After the assault, Mello’s son stopped attending Rogers High School and completed his senior year through private tutoring. He continues to experience fear and difficulty sleeping more than a year after the attack.
Community response
A city spokesperson declined to comment, citing pending litigation. While seeking accountability, Mello emphasized her broader goal of preventing similar incidents.
“The only real way is to protect the other kids that are coming up,” she said. “And if that means I have to sue the district, then I have to sue the district.”
Next steps
The lawsuit adds pressure on the school district to implement the investigation’s recommendations and to improve safety protocols for students with special needs. The case also highlights ongoing concerns about bullying prevention and school‑safety oversight in Newport.
Original reporting: NBC 10 WJAR (Sinclair) – local — read the source article.
