Davidson HS student's family wants $12 million, football program suspended

The parents of a student whose arm was broken in a violent football hazing incident are demanding $12 million from Mobile County public schools and an end to what they claim is a “culture of violence” administrators and coaches have allowed for years.

On Monday, the parents of Rodney Kim Jr., a 14-year-old freshman at W.P. Davidson High School, gave notice of their intent file a federal civil rights lawsuit against several school administrators over the injuries, pain and anguish their son suffered as a result of the April 27 incident at Davidson.

Named in the lawsuit are the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners, outgoing MCPSS Superintendent Martha Peek, Davidson Principal Lewis Copeland and the Warriors’ Head football coach, Fred Riley. The claim lays out the family’s demands, which include $12 million in punitive damages, a suspension of Davidson’s football program and criminal charges against roughly 20 young men who were captured in a viral video punching, kicking and jumping Kim the day he was promoted to the varsity team.

So far, four students have been suspended by the school system and the same four have been charged with third-degree assault for their role in the incident. Three were arrested Monday and transported to the Strickland Youth Center. As minors, their names have been withheld.

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