The Moraga school district announced Tuesday that it had received a new claim alleging that a former student was sexually abused by the late Dan Witters, a former teacher, in the 1990s.
This adds to two notices of claim and a lawsuit filed earlier this fall alleging that district administrators could have prevented sexual abuse of students by district staff.
"The Moraga School Board continues to express deep regret for what happened to these students in the 1990s," a press release from Superintendent Bruce K. Burns stated. "Two of our former employees abused children who were entrusted to our care. This will be a source of sorrow and regret as long as we are a district."
Witters, a science teacher at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School, killed himself in 1996.
The new claim involves a claimant who requests confidentiality. In the other two claims filed by "Jane Does" plus the lawsuit by former student Kristen Cunnane (now a Walnut Creek resident), the district has agreed to begin mediation early in 2013. The new claim will also be part of the mediation process, Burns said.
"All of these claims and the Cunnane lawsuit will be placed on the agenda for the board’s Dec. 11 meeting," Burns said. "The board will, to the extent possible, discuss the status of these matters at that time."
- Sir Walter Scott Like Brook Benton sang so beautifully, "It's just a matter of time...."
What real "assets" does the district have? Beyond cash on hand to fund this year's operating expenses and a smaller reserve, I assume the main assets are the land on which the schools sit. Even this is likely insufficient to pay current claims at face value (not to speak of future claims) unless the town allows a variance for condos on the land. At what point does the district declare bankruptcy and start over (can they?). Surely civil judgments can't reach future funding streams.
Disgusting.
@ajb: The district clearly has insurance, I just wonder if it is enough. These claims are getting quite large and are growing.
I expect the insurance company to take over the defense since the board seems intent on falling on it's sword. They sent the wrong message when they took options off the table.
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