New York Family Sues Christian School Over Alleged Injury

A family in New York has initiated legal action against a Christian school, the Archdiocese of New York, and a former soccer coach. The lawsuit claims their teenage son suffered injuries due to a lack of supervision from school officials prior to an athletic event.

The lawsuit, filed in the New York State Supreme Court in Dutchess County, represents the minor child, identified as LO, who is a soccer player at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie. The school, the Archdiocese, and the former coach are named as defendants in the case.

The incident, as described in the complaint, occurred on September 19, 2025. LO was allegedly grabbed and slammed into concrete by a teammate, resulting in scrapes on his arms and back, and there was reportedly no coach present during the altercation.

After the episode, the coach questioned the soccer team but did not address LO directly in front of opposing players. The filing indicates that LO made a comment suggesting if he was a “camel,” then his opponent was a “monkey.” The coach interpreted this as a racial slur and instructed LO to turn his jersey inside out, leaving it on the bench for the remainder of warm-ups and the game.

The coach allegedly did not assess LO’s injury or inquire about his well-being, even after being informed of it. Multiple reports indicate that the coach has since been dismissed by the school.

Importantly, LO and his family reportedly did not call for the coach’s termination; they assert that this decision was made solely by the school and/or the archdiocese.

The lawsuit also claims that after the coach’s firing, LO and his family faced hostility from teammates, parents, and coaches.

Negligent supervision is one of the key allegations in the suit, arguing that the school, archdiocese, and the coach failed in their responsibility to supervise students during athletic events and did not ensure adult supervision was present during the incident.

The family is seeking damages for bodily injury, emotional distress, psychological harm, humiliation, property damage, and other financial losses, alongside potential costs and additional relief as the court sees fit.

These allegations remain unproven in court. Kimberly Lau, representing the plaintiffs, emphasized the importance of context, stating that a child was injured on school premises during a time when supervision was necessary. She expressed hope that the school would cooperate with the family to improve the school environment and ensure student safety moving forward.

Inquiries have been made to Our Lady of Lourdes High School and the Archdiocese of New York regarding the situation.