The parents of two students who reportedly faced racial discrimination while attending Ecker Hill Middle School and Treasure Mountain Junior High School are suing the Park City School District and former Superintendent Jill Gildea for allegedly failing to protect their children from bullying and harassment.

The lawsuit, filed in Third District Court last week, said the couple’s daughter experienced at least four “instances of harassment based on her race” while attending Ecker Hill Middle School from 2022 to 2024. Her older brother, who attended Ecker Hill and Treasure Mountain Junior High School, experienced at least 17 instances of harassment from 2020 to 2024, according to the lawsuit.

The complaint claimed the parents reported each incident to the school district, including the use of racial slurs and sexual comments. It also referred to a 2024 investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which reported “77 documented incidents of students engaging in racially offensive conduct.”

The children named in last week’s filing were involved in the federal investigation, with the Office of Civil Rights specifically studying the family’s reports as part of its analysis, according to the lawsuit.

“(The Office of Civil Rights) found the accumulation of confirmed incidents of race-based harassment, antisemitic harassment and sexual harassment … created a hostile environment based on race, national origin and sex for specific students that limited their access to education,” the complaint said.

The federal report also declared the school district had not taken “effective steps to eliminate a hostile environment” because it failed to investigate all alleged incidents.

The family’s children suffered from anxiety and depression and were afraid of attending classes, according to the lawsuit. One child had to attend an inpatient treatment program to cope with the stress, and both require mental health support for ongoing anxiety.

The complaint said the children “have been damaged” because of the district’s “failures under the leadership of Jill Gildea.” The document alleged the district did not maintain records of student-to-student harassment, as federal law requires, and that employees were not trained on how to maintain or investigate reports of abuse or bullying.

“The behaviors outlined above constitute clear violations of both Title VI and Title IX, which require recipients of federal funds to maintain an environment free of discrimination, harassment and retaliatory practices,” the lawsuit said. “Additionally, Park City School District and Jill Gildea failed to take timely and appropriate corrective measures after these incidents were reported, which exacerbated the harm experienced.”

The document claimed Park City School District administrators and employees violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against the children “on the basis of race.” It said school officials had documentation and reports of “ongoing offensive racial misconduct,” but employees “exhibited deliberate indifference” to the family’s complaints.

“(Park City School District) and Superintendent Jill Gildea had the authority and ability to investigate and take meaningful corrective action to end or prevent future racial profiling and misconduct … but they failed to do so,” the lawsuit said. “PCSD, by its acts and omissions, created a racially hostile educational climate where offensive racial misconduct was tolerated and minimized.”

The district did not offer psychological resources, counseling or academic assistance to the children despite the family’s repeated reports of discrimination, the document said.

“PCSD has maintained policies … and training which allows, tolerates or tacitly condones racial discrimination against students, leading to the violation of protected constitutional rights,” the lawsuit continued.

The family is entitled to compensation because of the “emotional distress, fear, anxiety and trauma; lost future earnings and earning capacity; and expenses for past and future medical and psychological care,” the document claimed.

The complaint requested Third District Judge Patricia Kuendig award the family at least $300,000 in compensatory damages, as well as attorney fees and other costs to be determined at trial.

The school district declined to comment on the case, citing a policy prohibiting officials from remarking on ongoing litigation.

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Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, Park City School District students in grades sixth through 12 will be required to lock their cellphones in magnetic locking pouches during school hours and may only unlock them when exiting the building.

The revised policy is to ensure consistency at the middle and high school grade levels following the implementation of Senate Bill 178, a new law that took effect July 1, prohibiting the use of cell phones and smartwatches in classrooms unless a school district outlines specific exemptions. The policy also aims to reduce distractions and promote a safe, focused learning environment, according to district administrators.

Essentially, it’s an extension of the pilot program that was in place at Treasure Mountain Junior High last year. The eighth and ninth grade students used magnetic locking pouches made by the American company Yondr to keep their phones on-hand, but out of reach during academic hours.

“Behavior incidents went down, and it just felt like a kinder school because students were interacting versus talking about what they may or may not have Snapchatted or saw on social media or what their peer posted,” Huntsman said.

The previous policy at Ecker Hill Middle School was for students to keep their phones out of sight and in their lockers. The high school didn’t have a formal policy because it was up to each teacher to establish rules that kept students’ devices from being a distraction.

Treasure Mountain was closed at the end of the 2024-25 school year, with eighth grades moving into Ecker Hill and freshmen heading to Park City High School. So district administrators decided to refine what they saw as the most successful, cohesive policy already in place aimed at implementing a uniform approach in each of the school’s classrooms.

Huntsman explained that middle and high school students will have two weeks at the start of the school year to learn the rules regarding cellphones and brace for the absence. Then, students will each have a Yondr pouch their phone is locked into during their first period. The pouch will stay with the student it is assigned to throughout the day. It will only be unlocked, using a magnetic key each teacher is equipped with, when the student is leaving the building.

For Ecker Hill students, that’s the entire day. The high school will move to a closed campus in the fall, requiring freshmen and sophomores to stay on the grounds for lunch. Juniors and seniors permitted to leave for lunch will have their Yondr pouches unlocked before they leave the premises to ensure they can contact someone in an emergency. Students are expected to return to school each day with the pouch, though there will be extras on hand for those who forget.

Several high school teachers have said cellphone usage in classrooms is “nonstop” and staff are “battling” students over the policies. Huntsman said the Yondr pouches help take the burden off educators so they can focus on their job: teaching.

District administrators are still having discussions about whether students taking certain electives, such as the Park City Center for Advanced Professional Studies or photography, will be exempt from the prohibition during class. Huntsman said the school district may also consider purchasing a set of iPhones or tablets with restricted uses.

Around 800 students used the pouches at Treasure Mountain Junior High, but there will be a 200% increase in usage by expanding to sixth through 12th grades. Ecker Hill is estimated to have around 1,000 students in the fall, and Park City High School will have just under 1,550.

She recognized that there would likely be “growing pains” for some students who are used to spending more time on their cellular devices, but Huntsman was confident there would be positive results. 

The school district is working with the Park City Education Foundation to raise the money to purchase more pouches. Huntsman said they’ve raised around $30,000 of its $60,000 goal as of Thursday. Last year, a private donation covered the cost.

Yondr has also expressed interest in making Park City a “flagship district” because of the successful implementation of the pouches at Treasure Mountain and its desire to expand, according to Huntsman. She said the partnership will help increase accessibility and affordability for the district.

S.B. 178 also applies to grades K-12. Although cellphones aren’t as much of an issue for the younger students, Huntsman said, smartwatches are common. She’s in conversation with each of the primary and elementary school principals to discuss a policy to help teachers manage those devices.

District administrators heard from students, parents and staff through community forums, open house events and a survey held in the spring that they wanted students to be in a safe, distraction-free environment while at school. It’s also part of a broader commitment to cultivating learning environments that are focused, connected and responsive to students’ needs, according to Huntsman.

“We know these devices are rewiring their brains,” she said. “You may just go on social media to look for one thing for two minutes, and next thing you know, you’ve been scrolling for two hours, and those are two hours you can’t get back.”

The school district plans to share a detailed FAQ and a video overview to address common questions in the coming weeks. School administrators are also working together to provide a smooth, supportive transition for families.

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Ecker Hill Middle School is transitioning its mascot from the Timberwolves to the Miners in an effort to foster community and unity with other secondary schools in the district, but incoming Principal Isaiah Folau said he hopes to retain the school’s history and identity in a unique way — by keeping the iconic blue color scheme.

The Park City School Board voted in November to switch Ecker Hill’s mascot to the Miners starting in the 2025-26 school year. The school, which will likely see an increase in enrollment next year following the closure of Treasure Mountain Junior High, originally planned to swap its blue and silver color palette for Park City High School’s red and white color scheme.

Folau on Tuesday, however, suggested the school board consider adding an official tertiary color — navy blue — to the middle school’s color palette to allow Ecker Hill students to feel connected to the High School Miners while still retaining their own identity.

He also commented on the blue color scheme currently seen throughout the school building and his inclination to align official colors with the theme reflected in the hallways and classrooms.

“Ecker Hill Middle School has proudly worn the Timberwolf identity with the colors Navy, Silver and Green for over two decades. While the mascot and primary colors are changing, we believe incorporating Dark Navy as a tertiary color offers a symbolic and respectful bridge between the school’s past and its future. This creates a legacy element for current students, alumni and staff,” explained a proposal submitted to the school board.

Folau worked on the proposal alongside instructional coach Pamela Zupo and English teacher Elizabeth Thompson. The three educators emphasized the developmental importance of individuality for middle school students.

“Retaining a distinct yet complementary tertiary color like Navy allows us to foster a sense of ownership and belonging at the middle level while still creating a natural transition to the high school experience,” the proposal said.

They also pointed out a desire to stray away from sameness in athletic uniforms, especially when compared to other secondary schools in the region. Administrators felt the dark navy color would complement the red and white while offering versatility. The importance of spirit wear, signage and branding materials was also emphasized as the middle school builds its athletic program.

“This choice also helps reduce overuse of black — a color often associated with high school-level intensity — and instead provides a fresh, balanced aesthetic that maintains visual cohesion,” the proposal said.

The school board unanimously approved the addition of navy blue as a tertiary color.

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The Park City High School Miners played host to their region meet against Stansbury, Tooele and Grantsville Saturday morning, Jan. 28, 2017. The Miners won the meet. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

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