The Associated Press
Friday, June 10, 2022
RENO — A Nevada honors student has reached a tentative agreement to settle a federal lawsuit against administrators he accused of helping students bully him with hoax calls to an anonymous school threats hotline.
Reno High School junior Lucas Gorelick, 16, graduated Friday, a day after a judge gave his lawyer and Washoe County School District attorneys time to finalize their pact to settle a lawsuit Gorelick filed May 23 in U.S. District Court in Reno.
Terms were not disclosed. Court records show the judge set a June 28 date.
Gorelick said he did not take part in graduation ceremonies.
A district spokeswoman, Victoria Campbell, declined to comment about the lawsuit and said in a statement that Gorelick was welcome to attend and participate in ceremonies.
"We wish him and all of our graduates much happiness and success in the future," the statement said.
Gorelick was identified by initials in the lawsuit. The teen, his father, Jeff Gorelick, and their attorney, Luke Busby, agreed to let The Associated Press report his name.
He argued school district officials violated his constitutional rights by repeatedly searching his backpack and pickup truck after hoax calls to a state Department of Education hotline called SafeVoice.
In an interview, he said he also was targeted for bullying that he traced to his Jewish heritage, his work with Democratic Party candidates and his school achievements.
