Confidential

Facts

Five former El Sereno Elementary School students sued the Los Angeles Unified School District in relation to allegations of sexual abuse.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: Plaintiffs contended that the negligence of its administrators allowed them to be sexually abused by their second grade teacher. Plaintiffs contended that the school district's administrators knew or should have known of the teacher's dangerous propensities from prior complaints they received about him, and that they were negligent in supervising and retaining him at the school based on those prior red flags.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS: The school district denied liability and claimed that its administrators properly supervised the teacher, taking appropriate action, and documenting each prior complaint, and finally removing and dismissing him once there was an allegation of abuse. The school district also disputed the nature and extent of plaintiffs' alleged psychological injuries.

Damages

Plaintiffs sought $24,455,000 in damages ($4,891,000 each)

Result

The jury found in favor of the school district.