Former San Diego high school student who claimed sexual abuse by a teacher settles for $400,000

A former Lincoln High School student who claimed that she was sexually abused by a teacher has settled her case with the San Diego Unified School District for $400,000.

The student alleged in a 2016 lawsuit that a former teacher and boys’ soccer coach had initiated an intimate relationship with her during the 2015-16 school year.

No criminal charges were ever filed against the teacher, and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing did not take any action against him, records show.

An attorney for the teacher declined to comment.

The student alleged that the teacher walked her to class, had lunch with her, sent her flirtatious text messages and gave her a boys’ soccer team manager position to get closer to her.

The teacher’s behavior was visible enough for other Lincoln students to notice and ask if she was involved with the teacher, her lawsuit alleged.

The teacher’s behavior allegedly escalated to the point that, in December 2015, he took the student to a nightclub, gave her alcohol even though she was underage, kissed her multiple times, then took her to his house and had sex with her, her lawsuit alleged.

In that same month, the teacher again brought her to his house at 2 a.m. and then kissed and touched her, but she refused to have sex with him, according to the lawsuit.

His personal texts to her allegedly continued until February 2016, when the student’s mother learned of his conduct and told school employees, including the principal, the lawsuit claims.

Yet school employees did not notify authorities as soon as was required by law, the lawsuit says.

Under state law, no minor can consent to a sexual relationship with an adult. The student claimed to have suffered extreme emotional distress, humiliation and anxiety as a result of the teacher’s actions.

Her lawsuit said that school district employees were negligent in failing to properly supervise her and failing to properly investigate, monitor and and supervise the teacher.

The school district denies that it was “negligent in any way and denies that its acts or omissions caused any harm” to the student.

The settlement, which was signed by the involved parties in late September and early October, forever releases the school district from any responsibility for the teacher’s conduct.

The student’s lawsuit claims that the school district placed the teacher on administrative leave that February. The teacher continued to be employed by the school district until 2017, according to the open government website Transparent California.

The teacher started working for the district in 2013, according to Transparent California.

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing did not take any action on the man’s teaching status. The commission’s website shows that he had valid school employee clearance from August 2013 to September 2018, when it expired.

kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com