Facts

In 1983, Tenisha Steen was a student in Gary Satrappe's sociology class at Santa Ana Valley High School. When the school year began, Satrappe used his position to groom Steen which lead to unwanted hugs and kisses on campus. Satrappe was able to manipulate Steen into going with him to a motel where he plied her with alcohol and raped her. Thereafter, Satrappe repeatedly sexually assaulted Steen and, as a result, Steen became pregnant. Satrappe threatened Steen that she could be expelled from school and that they could both go to jail if she spoke about the assaults. Satrappe told Steen that no one would be believe her because she is Black and he is a White-man and a well-respected teacher within the Santa Ana community. When Steen gave birth to her child, the principal of Santa Ana Valley High School and a female staff member visited her and told her never to speak about what happened and threatened that they would have her newborn baby taken way if she ever spoke up about the sexual assaults. In 1990, the jury awarded Steen $275,000 in a civil lawsuit against Satrappe. In 2020, Steen brought an action under the California Child Victims Act against the Santa Ana Unified School District for its negligence that allowed her to be repeatedly sexually assaulted by a teacher.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: Plaintiff contended that she was a minor when she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a teacher employed by defendant. Plaintiff contended defendant was negligent in failing to provide a safe, secure, and peaceful school environment for its students by ignoring and covering up the ongoing sexual assaults committed by Satrappe. Plaintiff contended defendant failed to use reasonable care in investigating Satrappe, and failed to provide adequate warnings to plaintiff and her family regarding Satrappe's sexually abusive and exploitative conduct. Plaintiff contended defendant breached its duty to her by failing to adequately monitor and supervise Satrappe and failed to stop him from committing wrongful sexual acts with minors. Plaintiff contended defendant continued to retain Satrappe as a teacher, which allowed him to continue his sexually abusive and predatory behavior. Plaintiff contended defendant had an affirmative duty to inform, warn, and institute appropriate protective measures to safeguard minors from the risk of sexual assault, harassment, and molestation by Satrappe. Plaintiff contended that defendant subjected her to sexually harassment, sexual battery, racial and gender violence. Plaintiff contended defendant allowed her to suffer from physical and emotional damage for many years.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS: Defendant denied all of the contentions.

Result

The case settled for $1.25 million.