Under an agreement that was announced Wednesday night, the Antioch Unified School District will pay 17-plaintiffs a total of $8 million in compensation which will dismiss a lawsuit against the District.
The lawsuit claims a former Mno Grant Elementary School special needs education teacher Theresa Allen-Caulboy abused six students where some are nonverbal autistic students. Allen-Caulboy resigned from her position and is on house arrest on $200,000 bail. The parents of the students claim the District failed to report abuse to police or child protective service required by mandated reporters who work with children.
The money will come from the districts insurance coverage and not the operating budget.
Official Press Release from AUSD
The Antioch Unified School District Board of Education has approved a settlement agreement that brings an end to litigation arising from alleged abuse of special needs students at Mno Grant Elementary School.
The agreement came in a settlement conference between the attorney for eight students and their parents, and representatives of the joint powers authority that provides insurance coverage for our district.
Under the agreement, the 17 plaintiffs will receive $8 million in compensation and will dismiss the lawsuit against the district. The agreement still awaits final court approval.
The payment is to be made by the joint powers authority and will not come from the district budget.
Although the settlement brings an end to the legal process, the Antioch Unified School District is in no way finished with this difficult chapter in in our history. We must continue to learn from this case and work to ensure that every child entrusted to our schools is educated in a safe environment.
Since the time these incidents came to light, we have overhauled our policy on reporting suspected abuse and re-trained every employee in our district on the responsibility each of us has in protecting our students.
When our district learned that a settlement had been reached, we acted to expedite its formal approval for the families involved. It is our hope that this settlement helps the children and families involved continue to heal.
11 comments
This is the crap that bankrupts our districts. As a parent of two in the Antioch school district I’m fed up with having to supply my kids classes with supplies which is difficult for me being an unemployed single parent. Does there need to be stricter background checks? Coming in contact with some ee’s in the district and also county job I’ve always asked myself how the hell did they get hired!
Not true they did this to special ed kids at MARSH elementary when a teacher abused kids even held one child’s head under the water fountain. The reason we sued them is they did not report it either. The teacher was allowed to continue to teach. It took 2 months to get him out and a lawsuit. This happened12- 13 years agoWe are going through another incident now regarding the school district and the DA now regarding a parent putting their hands on a small child. Remember your kids are not put first nor safe…..home school them..
It seems to be systemic; Brentwood’s district has also had problems with abusive special needs teachers, and administrators failing to report as required by law. As a parent of a special needs kid I can say several Brentwood schools have very specific student molds, and kids that don’t fit one fall through the cracks. Homeschool if you can.
What do we do when the joint insurance pool continues to have to pay suit after suit for this district. It has been going on for years and years. Pretty soon we won’t be able to get insurance through them any more and will have to be self insured. That will really cost us because this district has not learned their lesson
I loved the comment on the news tonight “we aren’t paying it it isn’t our money.” That is what is wrong with the school district. It sure the heck is our money. Who pays the premium? You and I!
So what are you saying? Is this about our kids or the money. I’m thinking the money ;(
From a financial stand point, you are correct. Us tax payers, real estate tax payers that is, contribute most of the money for public schools.
The only ones that do not contribute to fund the public schools are ghetto section 8 renters. Tax payers pay up to 98% of their rent expense.
Yes their “insurance” will cover it, but consider there will always be higher premiums and the like in higher fees the school will have to pay. This means more money out of the tax payer’s wallet.
If only the school district hired more “quality” employees to do the job at hand, these types of incidents are greatly reduced to nil. Unfortunately, our school system like our local governance, offers kick backs and jobs to their “buddies”.
RJB, this isn’t the only city and school district that hires “buddies” but it doesn’t make it right. True, unless you know someone…………That is how Ken Gray just got appointed by the mayor to his position. Simply to ensure his wife gets the next appointment or is elected to the next vacant seat on the council. Tit for tat as they say.
Yes definitely true. Something needs to change…
One more reason why I am SO GLAD I homeschool. PS’s are a business, and their boss: the govt. Govt does not belong in schools.
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