Settlement reached in Shoshone sexual discrimination case

The Shoshone School District and a former student reached a settlement Monday in a sexual discrimination case.

The Associated Press reported on the settlement, which came hours after a jury began deliberations. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

In the December 2017 federal lawsuit, a student says she was sexually assaulted by an older male student while on school grounds, and then was subject to sexual discrimination.

The male student —  a star athlete who was 17 years old at the time of the assault — was allowed to stay in school. The female student, who was 13 years old at the time, was told she could stop attending Shoshone Middle School and complete assignments from home, according to the lawsuit.

The assignments stopped arriving, according to the lawsuit, and the family left Shoshone so the girl could continue her education.

School principal Kelly Chapman testified that the school was awaiting direction from the girl’s family, and would have transferred the male student to another school to ensure the girl’s safety, Rebecca Boone of the AP reported.

The male student was later convicted of lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor.

 

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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