The woes for Overton County Schools are seeming to continue, as a news source is now reporting claims of student sexual harassment at the high school.

School board members addressed a recent State Comptroller’s report about topsoil being removed at Rickman school and being used in the personal business of a board member, along with the termination and later reinstatement of Livingston Academy’s head girls’ basketball coach.

What was not addressed, however, is a claim of sexual harassment at Livingston Academy.

According to a report in the Herald-Citizen, attorney Brett Knight is representing at least two juvenile girls who say they have been sexually harassed by a science teacher at Livingston Academy, the story claims. The school system did not confirm it, but Knight stated the teacher was placed on a three-day suspension for sexual harassment. He recently sent a letter to school board members requesting a formal investigation.

“When parents of the most recent sexually harassed victim contacted members of this school board, they were plainly told that the school board was powerless to help, and the advice given to the parents by the school board members was to sue the school, and that maybe that would force change,” the paper reported Knight wrote.

Knight was at the recent school board meeting and addressed the board on their duties and responsibilities when the matter of the termination of the basketball coach came up. He did not mention anything about the sexual harassment claims.

Knight, who practices law in Cookeville, spent a short stint as the attorney for the Overton County Board of Education.

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The first of what could be several lawsuits from the 2019 flood has been filed against both the city and county.

Freeman Lee Crowder III of Livingston filed suit February 19 against Overton County and the City of Livingston in the Circuit Court of Overton County asking for compensation from damages from the February 2019 flooding.

Crowder owns several properties on Bradford-Hicks Drive near Dillon Pond. Two of the properties housed or currently house tenants, including a church, a daycare and what used to be a food catering service. The other two properties housed or currently house tenants, including CrossFit gym, an office building and a law firm.

According to property tax records, the properties owned by Crowder are appraised at $361,200; however, prior to the flooding, the properties were appraised at $569,900. According to the suit, Crowder believes “the current fair market value of the properties exceed $1 million.”

Crowder has owned the properties since 2014 and prior to the 2019 flooding, flooding and drainage problems had not been experienced.

The City of Livingston hired an engineer firm–Barge Design Solutions–to investigate and review the design and function of Dillon Pond.

The firm completed the report on the findings of the investigation, which Crowder has not yet received. However, Charlie Smith of Barge Design reported the findings in a public meeting held at Livingston City Hall.

Smith explained it is unknown why the sinkhole that drained Dillon Pond quit functioning during the rain event that flooded a portion of Livingston. Sinkholes are ever changing when it comes to drainage and can be unpredictable if relied upon as consistent drainage out fall.

According to the suit, recent heavy rains caused the water levels in Dillon Pond to rise again and was close to Crowder’s property.

Due to the significant rainfall, Overton County and the City of Livingston declared a State of Emergency early last month in order to receive help from the state to mitigate another possible flood event; to which the state responded by sending several water pumps to divert flood waters from Dillon Pond.

“As long as the increased storm and surface water damage from the work and the deficiencies in Dillon Pond and surrounding drainage facilities persist, these conditions, flooding and damage will continue, potentially grow worse and cause (Crowder) injuries,” the suit states.

Crowder is suing Overton County and the City of Livingston on three counts: inverse condemnation, negligence and nuisance.