Case Studies

Systemic Failures and Inadequate Training and Policies Cause Avoidable Risk to Students and Increased School Liability 

The following cases involving civil lawsuits and criminal charges demonstrate how systemic failures—whether in hiring, responding to complaints, investigating, or training staff—put students at risk of experiencing abuse, harassment, and other serious misconduct.

For K-12 schools, actual knowledge by any employee of the alleged misconduct and deliberate indifference in the response can lead to significant civil liability and reputational harm. Campus Integrity Group can help create a safer school community and minimize risk by implementing policies and training staff to ensure complaints receive a prompt response and impartial investigation.

CIVIL LAWSUIT EXAMPLES

  • Ten students alleged ongoing sexual abuse over a period of years by an aide who was sentenced to 20+ years in prison. The elementary aged students alleged that several employees were aware of complaints but nothing was done and that he was not properly screened when hired.

    Takeaway: Abuse can continue for years and impact numerous victims when schools don’t have a culture of accountability, adequate training, and policies in place.

  • Two students sued after years of alleged harassment and administrative failures. The district settled for $1.26 million and agreed to mandatory Title IX training, consent education, and more.

    Takeaway: Longstanding cultural issues and administrative inaction demand systemic reform. Proactive education and compliance can prevent future incidents and legal exposure.

  • A ninth-grade student was sexually abused by a teacher, who is being sued along with the school and its principal. The teacher was ultimately sentenced to twenty years in prison. However, according to the suit, the school and principal failed to protect the student, prevent and report grooming, and respond appropriately to internal whistleblower complaints.

    Takeaway: Institutional failures to act on grooming, red flags, and reporting obligations exposes schools to serious legal and moral consequences.

  • A 9-year-old special needs student was repeatedly abused by a bus driver who later pled guilty to two counts of sexual abuse and was sentenced to 16 years. The bus driver had a previous disqualifying conviction so his application was initially rejected, but he was still hired three months later.

    Takeaway: Comprehensive background checks are important, but other policies and procedures are needed to prevent known criminals from becoming employees.

  • A school administrator is accused of begging a student to get an abortion after he allegedly raped her in his office on campus. He was criminally charged and the case is pending. A civil lawsuit was filed against Charthouse Public Schools and the administrator.

    Takeaway: Schools need to enact and enforce robust policies and proactive prevention efforts to protect students and avoid missteps in oversight.

  • A student who was sexually abused for over three years by a coach received a $3 million settlement. The coach lied on her application, and district officials failed to catch or act on prior misconduct. Repeated boundary violations were overlooked, and staff concerns were dismissed.

    Takeaway: Proper vetting, documentation, and reporting are essential. Dismissing staff concerns or ignoring known risks leads to harm and liability.

CRIMINAL LAWSUIT EXAMPLES

  • Teacher of the Year Jacqueline Ma pled guilty to multiple charges—two counts of forcible lewd acts on a child, one count of a lewd act on a child, and possession of child sexual abuse material. Ma admitted to grooming and sexually abusing two students, aged 11 and 12, for more than a year. She groomed both boys by offering them gifts and special attention, communicated with them electronically and exchanged lewd photos with them, and used her reputation to gain the trust of the boys’ parents.

    Takeaway: Even trusted teachers can commit abuse, often hidden by the confidence they've earned from schools and families. Strong school policies and training can help detect grooming behaviors, allowing schools to investigate before the misconduct escalates.

  • Erin Hamilton-Foley, former assistant principal at Edwardsville High School, pleaded guilty to a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student and was convicted of felony aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sentenced to four years in prison. Hamilton-Foley was an assistant principal for 11th-grade students and was the student’s mentor at the time of the sexual abuse.

    Takeaway: Even trusted administrators can exploit their authority. Schools need to ensure strong oversight, boundaries, and reporting systems to prevent abuse by those in leadership roles.

  • Five employees at Palm Beach Central High were charged with felony failure to report the assault of a 15-year-old student. Those arrested include the principal, assistant principals, a behavioral health worker, and a teacher.
    Officials admitted they chose not to report based on personal judgment, despite clear allegations. The charges stemmed from their inaction after receiving a written report from another student who voiced concerns for the victim’s safety.

    Takeaway: Clear policies and consistent training remove ambiguity—and can prevent further harm—when schools receive serious allegations.

  • Randell Jefferson, a former Milwaukee Public Schools’ teacher’s aide, was sentened to nine years in prison for multiple felony charges including soliciting a child for prostitution, child enticement with sexual contact, and exposing a child to harmful material. Multiple K-8 students reported sexual harassment, requests for oral sex, and being offered money for sexual favors. Jefferson also showed students pornographic videos as examples of what he wanted them to do to him.

    Takeaway: Serious abuse can occur when staff exploit access to young students. Strong screening, oversight, and swift reporting are key to protecting children from predatory behavior.

  • William Arnold, 53, sexually assaulted a student at Pequannock High School multiple times beginning when they were 15-years-old. Arnold was the student’s art teacher. He is charged with aggravated sexual assault , official misconduct, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal sexual contact. Another teacher at the school notified the police of alleged inappropriate behavior which triggered the investigation.

    Takeaway: Abuse can persist when authority figures exploit their roles, but swift reporting by colleagues and other bystanders is pivotal to stopping misconduct and protecting students.

  • Madison Bergmann, fifth-grade teacher, was arrested for child enticement-sexual contact and sexual misconduct. The 11-year-old victim’s parents discovered concerning texts between Bergmann and the student talking about their encounters, which allegedly occurred inside the school. A forensic search of her phone revealed more than 35,000 text messages between the two. Nearly 100 letters, love notes, and artwork were also found inside Bergmann’s backpack, several mentioning how she and the student kissed each other.

    Takeaway: Boundary violations can escalate quickly into abuse. Schools need to monitor staff-student interactions and respond immediately to warning signs of inappropriate communication.

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