Marysville School District agrees to $3.5 million to settle sex abuse lawsuit

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — The Marysville School District has agreed to pay $3.5 million to a couple of former students who said they were sexually abused by a longtime teacher.

The cases date back to the mid-80s, but the victims’ lawyers told KIRO 7 that the teacher was still employed by the district up until last year.

Both of the victims were members of the cheer team. They said the teacher would take them into the school’s darkroom, where he would touch them.

“In a deposition last year, another teacher said she did not remember a policy that would prohibit the teacher from taking a student into the darkroom alone,” said Ashton Dennis, the victims’ attorney.

“Moving forward the idea is to continue to teach and look out for these signs right? I know that they are continuing to do boundary training and things like that and the more of that the better, absolutely.”

The district told KIRO 7 that its insurers are covering all the costs of the settlements and the defense added it was unaware of any of the allegations before the lawsuit was filed last year.

The district sent KIRO 7 a statement that read in part:

“The district believes any such abusive conduct by staff towards any student is a breach of trust that is inexcusable.

“Marysville School District’s foremost priority is to provide a safe and positive educational experience for its students and staff remain committed to doing so.”

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