A 15-year-old girl has taken her school district to court after she was suspended for ‘bullying’ after leaving a note in a bathroom alleging sexual assaults at her high school.
Aela Mansmann, 15, posted sticky notes in her high school’s bathroom at Cape Elizabeth High School in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
She began sharing the notes in the girls bathroom that read: ‘There’s a rapist in our school and you know who it is.’
She and two other students who left similar notes were ordered suspended.
According to Mansmann, school officials did not take the allegations of sexual assault seriously enough when they were brought up during a board meeting over the summer.
Aela Mansmann (pictured), 15, who posted sticky notes in the bathroom of Cape Elizabeth High School in Maine warning others about a rapist on campus was suspended for bullying
The sticky was stuck to the bathroom mirror of the school and stated ‘There is a rapist in our school and you know who it is’.
Mansmann said school officials did not take the allegations of sexual assault seriously enough when they were brought up
On Friday, Mansmann and two other students were suspended for bullying after they left the notes in the restrooms.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine is now taking on Mansmann’s case and calling on federal court to stop her suspension.
A temporary restraining order against the district has been filed and a hearing is scheduled for Monday in a Portland courtroom.
In response to the suspensions, Mansmann and the two students were joined by about three dozen students from the high school on Monday to protest the disciplinary actions against them.
Aela is pictured with a school friend holding up a sign related to the school rape allegations. . She is now challenging her suspension with the ACLU
A protest took place outsider the school on Monday during which time students were seen holding signs that read, ‘believe women’ and ‘don’t write off rape’
During the protest, the students put forth a list of demands, including more education around what constitutes sexual assault and resources for students.
They were seen holding signs that read, ‘believe women’ and ‘don’t write off rape’.
Mansmann said it all began over the summer when she and other students had the opportunity to speak to the school board about the allegations.
Mansmann (left in June and right at the protest) said it all began over the summer when she and other students had the opportunity to speak to the school board about the allegations
‘I don’t feel like the response of the school was thorough. That is why we had gone to the school board meeting last June to express our concerns,’ Mansmann said.
She said she did not allege that she was a victim or mention any accusers or abusers by name.
Meanwhile, the high school has agreed to delay the suspension until the hearing, according to WGME.
The ACLU state how Mansmann has taken a ‘public stance as an ally for the victims and survivors of sexual violence.’
‘I think anyone that has experienced any sort of sexual violence or harassment is especially vulnerable when they are going through their healing process, and to have an ally who is willing to advocate for that, I think is crucial and beneficial,’ she said to CBS News.
Mansmann is seen pictured right, speaking at the protest
‘I don’t feel like the response of the school was thorough. That is why we had gone to the school board meeting last June to express our concerns,’ Mansmann said. Officials are seen during June’s board meeting
In a statement to DailyMail.com, Superintendent Donna Wolfrom said: ‘The Cape Elizabeth Schools have never disciplined a student for advocating for their peers or their views on cultural, social and political matters.
‘It is important to understand, however, that when a student’s speech bullies another student, we are required by law and by School Board policy to investigate and take prompt action, even if that same student has also spoken out on a matter of public concern.
Wolfrom said that she is unable to comment on the specific student matter recently reported in the press ‘because of confidentiality laws’.
The school’s (file image) alleged lack of action prompted Mansmann to post the sticky notes in the bathroom. A DailyMail.com request for comment to Superintendent Donna Wolfrom was not immediately returned
‘But we can say that we are confident that the matter was exhaustively investigated and that we took the action that law and policy require,’ she added.
A district spokesperson also said there would be no official comment because the case is in court.
School board officials say they are reviewing their existing policy when it comes to reporting sexual abuse allegations.
‘In the coming months we’ll be considering revisions to policy, reporting child abuse and neglect, and the development of a new policy, child sexual abuse prevention and response, in order to strengthen our capacity to keep our students safe,’ Director of Teaching and Learning Cathy Stankford said.