His parents, Tyka Johnson and Louis Johnson Jr., claim in the lawsuit—filed April 21, 2025—that their repeated concerns about the teacher’s treatment of their son were ignored by school officials.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the Johnsons allege that the teacher, referred to as Donna White (though school records list her as Dawn), relentlessly humiliated LJ in class, calling him “stupid” and mocking him in front of his peers over several months.

The complaint also claims White encouraged other students to join in the ridicule, urging them to agree that LJ “didn’t know anything.” The Johnsons say this ongoing emotional abuse contributed to their son’s anxiety, depression, and eventual suicide.

The family is seeking a jury trial, stating in the filing that the school board’s inaction amounted to negligence.

Following LJ’s death, the Johnsons began