Mark iversen gay

The harassment, Iversen said, "just kept going on and on." There was taunting, threats, and once, even shoving against some lockers, Iversen said.

It culminated in October, during his senior year at Kentwood High, Iversen said, when he was assaulted in a classroom by a group of students who kicked him in the head, chest and back, spat on him, and called him derogatory names.

The assault was reported to local police, Iversen said.

"I wasn't tough. Coalition member Arlis Stewart said researchers received reports about the alleged beating of Iversen last fall.

The ACLU hopes the lawsuit will send a message to other school districts to enforce their anti-harassment policies. And they agreed that after Iversen raised concerns, the district reviewed its handling of these types of complaints.

In the settlement, the district also pledged to continue to uphold anti-harassment policies in place before Iversen brought his lawsuit.

Iversen also had asked that the district implement anti-harassment training that deals specifically with sexual-orientation issues but backed down from that demand to reach the settlement.

"We got the sense through settlement talks that the district would make a very strong commitment to enforcing its anti-harassment policy against students harassing others on the basis of sexual orientation," said Julia Hampton, who worked on the Iversen case for the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Iversen.

Jim Hager, district superintendent, said the district has been exonerated.

"Our policies are exemplary, and all our staff members are following them," he said.

Students threatened him. I don't need another." A principal allegedly told Iversen he was bringing the harassment on himself.

Iversen suffered depression, stress-related headaches and stomach problems because of the harassment, the lawsuit alleges.

"Schools need to change. Classmates said he was gay.

Then it got worse. And it was the assault, after years of harassment, that has prompted Iversen to file a lawsuit against the Kent School District.

The suit, filed yesterday in U.S.

District Court in Seattle by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington on Iversen's behalf, alleges district officials and several school principals failed to stop years of abuse and harassment directed by classmates at Iversen because he was gay.

Along with the district, the suit names as defendants Superintendent Jim Hager; Assistant Superintendent Gwen Dupree; Ben Dillard, principal of Kent Meridian High School; Tom Watson, principal of Kentwood High; and Doug Boushey, principal of Kent Junior High School.

The suit seeks unspecified damages and a requirement that the district enforce its anti-harassment policies and educate its staff on sexual orientation.

Kent school officials had no comment.

The school district's attorney, reached yesterday afternoon, said she would not comment until after she had read the suit.

Sandy Collins, president of the the Kent School Board, said she could not comment on pending litigation.

While he was in eighth grade, Iversen said, a P.E.

teacher made a comment that he didn't need another "girl" in his class. "In the past, everybody just ran and hid."

Dionne Searcey's phone message number is 253-946-3977. "Every student should be able to attend school without suffering verbal and physical abuse," said Kathleen Taylor, ACLU executive director.

The suit seeks unspecified damages for the alleged violation of Iversen's rights to equal protection and due process.

The harassment continued even though he changed high schools, Iversen said.

"I've been through a lot of pain, suffering, embarrassment," he said last night. "Our family has been through a lot these past years."

Both sides agreed that the district is committed to responding to student harassment and diversity awareness. "I'm glad to get it over for all of us - for Mark and for the school district."

Gay-rights advocates and legal experts said the settlement could help other students facing similar forms of harassment in districts across the region simply because the suit has drawn attention to the issue.

"More students and their parents are willing to stand up for what they believe is right," said Karen Franklin, a former University of Washington researcher who studies anti-gay discrimination.

The harassment became daily, he said.

His mother spoke to school officials, Iversen said, but the suit alleges nothing was done.

Throughout the years, his grades slipped.

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About 30 other students watched, some egging on the attackers, the suit says.

Kent School District spokeswoman Renee Penman said most district officials are on vacation this month, and no one was available to comment.

Iversen and his mother say they repeatedly asked officials at the schools to end the harassment.

Teachers allegedly contributed to the hostile environment.

The suit also names Superintendent Jim Hager, Assistant Superintendent Gwen Dupree and three principals.

The alleged harassment of Iversen began at Kent Junior High with almost daily verbal taunts and continued into high school, escalating into threats of physical violence, the lawsuit alleges.

Last October, Iversen allegedly was beaten and kicked in a Kentwood classroom by eight classmates who yelled anti-gay epithets during the attack.

One allegedly told Iversen: "I already have 20 girls in my class.