YOUNGSTOWN (OH)
WKBN-TV, Ch. 27 [Youngstown OH]
November 25, 2025
By Michael Reiner
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- A fourth lawsuit was filed against Ursuline High School on Monday in the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas.
According to court records, this lawsuit was brought on by a former Ursuline High School student, referred to in the lawsuit as Daughter Smith, and her family, referred to as Mother Smith, against Ursuline High School, its assistant principal Margaret Damore, and the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown.
The lawsuit alleges that another student, Friend 2, alerted school officials about the planned fight.
The lawsuit alleges that the planned attack happened and that Daughter was seriously injured. The lawsuit alleges that the daughter was diagnosed with a concussion and continues to suffer from the attack.
This latest lawsuit is now the fourth lawsuit to be filed against Ursuline High School this year.
Subodh Chandra, the plaintiffs’ lead counsel in these civil cases, released a statement in a press release:
“This fourth complaint highlights the systematic breakdown of basic human decency at Ursuline. When a parent and students repeatedly warn officials that a violent assault is imminent, and the school fails to act, that is deliberate indifference. When a child is seriously injured, concussed, and vomiting from an attack that the school could have easily prevented, and the official’s apparent primary concern is to avoid a public report and scrutiny, that is institutional recklessness. The common thread across all four of these lawsuits is a deep and pervasive culture of protecting Ursuline’s image, particularly its athletic program, above the sacred duty to protect children. Our clients all continue to ask: How do these administrators still have jobs? Why has the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown done nothing to hold Ursuline’s administration accountable? Since the first lawsuit was filed on September 1, 2025, we have heard from courageous victims and witnesses and welcome hearing from more through this secure contact form,” Chandra said.
An expanded federal lawsuit filed earlier this year alleges that football players took part in hazing and that those in charge of the football program knew about it but did nothing to stop it.
Another lawsuit alleges that a 14-year-old freshman girl said that she was physically assaulted by a football player in the summer of 2023 and that his aggressive and menacing behavior continued for two years until she and her mother moved to Trumbull County to get away from him. That lawsuit contends that the girl reported the issues to Damore, but that Damore convinced her not to file a police report and promised to discipline the player. The lawsuit alleges that the player was never disciplined and that the menacing behavior continued.
A third lawsuit alleges that Ursuline High School football players bullied the student during his freshman year for being openly gay and that the head football coach was aware of the bullying but failed to act.
WKBN-TV has reached out to Ursuline High School and is waiting on a response.
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