Keswick Christian School Sued Over Alleged Unfair Disciplinary Process
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Waugh Family Continues Litigation Against Keswick Christian School, Files Opposition to School’s Attempt to Block Witness Depositions
Waugh Family Continues Litigation Against Keswick Christian School, Files Opposition to School’s Attempt to Block Witness Depositions
Plaintiffs Argue Depositions of Lauren Cook and Christian Mortimer Are Relevant to Issues of Disciplinary Fairness, Consistency, Motive, and Good Faith
Plaintiffs Argue Depositions of Lauren Cook and Christian Mortimer Are Relevant to Issues of Disciplinary Fairness, Consistency, Motive, and Good Faith
St. Petersburg, FL – May 18, 2026 – Plaintiffs Jennifer Waugh and Haleigh Waugh today filed their Response in Opposition to Defendant Keswick Christian School, Inc.’s Motion for Protective Order in the ongoing lawsuit (Case No. 25-002762-CI, Pinellas County Circuit Court).
Plaintiffs Oppose Effort to Block Witness Depositions
The school and non-party students are seeking to completely prohibit the depositions of two potential fact witnesses whose testimony, the Response argues, goes directly to the heart of the dispute: whether the school arbitrarily, selectively, and in bad faith dismissed Haleigh Waugh.
Haleigh Waugh, a student at the private Christian school, was dismissed following an alleged vaping incident. Plaintiffs maintain that the school failed to follow its own policies, treated Haleigh differently from similarly situated students, and allowed personal considerations to influence the disciplinary decision.
Plaintiffs Argue Witnesses Are Relevant to Comparator and Motive Issues
In their Response, Plaintiffs explain that the requested depositions of Lauren Cook and Christian Mortimer are relevant and proportional under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.280(c). Plaintiffs argue that Lauren Cook is a comparator witness regarding the school’s alleged inconsistent enforcement of its “Level 4” disciplinary policies.
Christian Mortimer is the son of central school administrator Lee Mortimer, a decision-maker in Haleigh Waugh’s dismissal. Plaintiffs argue that testimony obtained during discovery reflects that Christian and Haleigh previously had a personal relationship that ended poorly, that Christian was emotionally affected by Haleigh’s lack of reciprocal feelings and the breakdown of the relationship and and that Lee Mortimer later became personally involved in addressing issues between the two students following the breakup. Plaintiffs contend that history is directly relevant to whether personal animus, bias, or improper motive influenced the school’s actions and disciplinary decision-making process.
Plaintiffs Allege School Acted Inconsistently and in Bad Faith
Plaintiffs argue that testimony concerning the prior relationship between Christian Mortimer and Haleigh Waugh, the alleged emotional impact of that relationship’s breakdown, and the involvement of Christian’s father, Lee Mortimer, in the disciplinary decision-making process goes directly to the school’s good faith and the true reasons for Haleigh’s expulsion, particularly in light of testimony that other students allegedly caught with vaping devices were permitted to continue participating in school activities the same day without dismissal or comparable punishment. Plaintiffs contend Haleigh was singled out precisely because she was the student who had previously ended a relationship with the son of a central school decision-maker.
Litigation Remains Ongoing
The case remains active. Defendants previously filed a Motion for Summary Judgment, which Plaintiffs are opposing. Discovery continues, and the Court has not yet ruled on the protective-order motion or the summary judgment request.
Defendant Keswick Christian School, Inc.’s Motion for Protective Order to Preclude Certain Non-Party Depositions, along with Plaintiffs’ Response in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion for Protective Order, can be found here.
Informational purposes only. Allegations are based on claims in filed legal documents. All claims will be resolved through the legal process. Lawsuit remains pending. Defendants deny wrongdoing and contest the allegations.