Indiana Family Files Complaint After Student Claims Emotional Harm From Football Coach at Borden-Henryville School
The complaint, submitted ten days ago, concerns the treatment of a student by adults in positions of authority and has sparked concern among residents about student welfare and accountability in schools.
November 7, 2026
This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on November 7, 2026
A Jeffersonville family has formally filed a civil rights complaint with the Borden-Henryville School Corporation, alleging that a student was subjected to emotional harm and religious pressure by members of the school’s coaching staff.
The complaint, submitted ten days ago, concerns the of a student by adults in positions of authority and has sparked concern among residents about student welfare and accountability in schools.
Brad Winters, speaking on behalf of his family, stated that the only response received from the school district has been confirmation of receipt of the complaint, with no information provided regarding corrective actions or measures to prevent retaliation against the student.
Winters emphasized that the case is not about sports or playing time, but about the treatment of students and the responsibility of school staff to create safe, supportive environments.
Winters said,
“This situation is not about basketball or athletics,” “It’s about a student who was made to feel small, isolated, and silenced by the very adults who are meant to support students. No student should ever feel like they don’t belong in their own school or that their voice doesn’t matter.”
According to Winters, the complaint outlines instances during a meeting at Henryville High School in which the student was subjected to statements from coaching staff that caused emotional distress. Among the reports, comments were:
“We don’t like you as a person,” “The team was better without you,” and “You need to find God.”
Winters described these statements as “emotional targeting and religious pressure from public school employees,” citing violations of federal and state protections. The family’s complaint references:
- • The First Amendment (Establishment Clause) – prohibiting public school staff from coercing religious belief.
- • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act – protecting students from discriminatory or hostile environments.
- • Indiana Code 20-33-8-13.5 – requiring schools to protect students from bullying and emotional harm.
- • Indiana Code 20-33-12-4 – ensuring students’ right to religious freedom without coercion from school staff.
Winters, who also attended the same school system, shared personal experiences of bullying and being ignored when speaking up, stating that his decision to act now is informed by firsthand knowledge of the harm caused when complaints are silenced. He said,
“I spent my own childhood in these same classrooms and hallways,” . “I know what it feels like to be bullied here, to be told to ‘let it go,” or treated like the problem instead of the one who was harmed. I will not let my brother go through the same thing.”
The family stresses that their complaint is not about seeking revenge or harming anyone’s career, but rather about ensuring accountability and protecting future students from similar treatment. Winters said,
“A student should never walk out of a school building thinking: ‘I am not wanted here,” or ‘My value depends on changing my beliefs.” No family should have to explain to their child that the adults in charge crossed the line.”
Community responses have been mainly supportive. Commenters have encouraged the family to persist, with one resident encouraging the family to persist, while another wrote, “Stand strong and don’t give up.” while another offered encouragement. “Keep pushing forward—your voice matters.” The case has renewed attention on student rights and protections within the Borden-Henryville School Corporation, raising questions about the oversight of coaching staff and the school’s responsibility to ensure an emotionally safe environment for all students.
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