Last May I noted that the Moraga School District settled a sex abuse lawsuit for $2.85 million and now 2 more sex abuse lawsuits have been settled for $14 million. More details in the Contra Costa Times article here. The article notes that it’s “the nation’s largest molestation settlement per student.”
From the Moraga School District statement:
Two lawsuits against the Moraga School District alleging that sexual abuse of students in the 1990s could have been prevented have been settled. The settlements were reached following discussions between the district’s insurer and attorneys for the two victims. The district did not determine the amount of the settlement payment, which will be made by the insurer and will not impact the district’s general fund.
Under the terms of the agreement, the district’s insurer will pay each of the two women $7 million for the suffering they and their families experienced as a result of the abuse. In exchange, the women have agreed to drop their lawsuits and release all claims against the district and its former staff.
“We want to again apologize to these women and to their families for the pain that was inflicted on them by former staff of the District,” said Bruce Burns, district superintendent. “They were innocent victims, abused at a young age by someone in a position of trust. The betrayal of that trust has caused real and lasting suffering. It is our hope that this settlement will allow these women to continue to heal and will help them and their families move forward.”
Former teacher Dan Witters committed suicide in 1996, shortly after he was placed on administrative leave when it was learned he had sexually abused a number of female students at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School. The lawsuits settled this week alleged that the school district had prior notice of inappropriate behavior by Witters and should have taken action to protect students.
The settlements, Burns said, will allow the district to continue the work it has undertaken to be a leader in improving student safety. Since 2012, the Moraga School District has strengthened its safeguards, enacting a policy that goes beyond state law in requiring all employees to report suspected abuse of a student. It also has overhauled its training of teachers and other employees, working with the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County (CAPC) to implement updated, uniform instruction. The district also has teamed with neighboring districts to fund a first-of-its-kind program in which a CAPC educator will teach safety to students and parents in the three districts.
“We understand that we must be worthy of the great trust that parents place in us when sending a child to our schools,” Burns said, “and that means working every day to maintain a culture in which student safety is the highest priority.”