Lawsuit filed against Walla Walla Public Schools over sexual harassment allegations
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, July 13th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
WALLA WALLA — Two Tacoma-based attorneys have filed a lawsuit against Walla Walla Public Schools on behalf of the mother of a former seventh-grade student at Pioneer Middle School.
According to the law office of Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala (PCVA), the former student, who was just 12 years old at the time, alleged that a music teacher sexually harassed her between 2015 and 2016. The lawsuit was filed by partner Darrell Cochran and associate Bridget Grotz.
In a news release published by PCVA, the law firm says Walla Walla Public Schools should have known that a music teacher was a sexual predator and that the risk to students was significant. PCVA alleges the district received complaints from students regarding the music teacher’s predatory behavior but did not take proper action.
“Because of the school district’s failure to protect its own students from this sexual predator, the plaintiff suffered abuse and resulting damages,” the news release from PCVA states. “Though the district conducted an investigation in 2008 following complaints of sexually predatory behavior from several mothers and young girls, it did not terminate (the music teacher)”.
According to PCVA, the district concluded the allegations were unsubstantiated and allowed the music teacher to retain employment, providing the music teacher further opportunities to abuse young female students.
The law firm issued this statement in its release: “Hopefully by holding Walla Walla Public Schools accountable, the district will take proper action in the future to protect students, preventing others from having to suffer the same abuse as the plaintiff.”
Walla Walla Public Schools Director of Communications and Community Relations Mark Higgins sent out this statement: “The district takes the allegations in the lawsuit very seriously. The safety of our students is, and has always been, our number one goal. The district remains committed to ensuring an environment where all of our students feel safe. Walla Walla Public Schools recognizes that the allegations set forth in the lawsuit touch upon sensitive subjects for all the involved individuals. We are unable to offer any further comment on the lawsuit or the specific allegations contained in the lawsuit at this time. As this matter proceeds through the litigation process, the district will remain committed to providing a safe and positive educational experience for all of its students, teachers, parents, and the community. Please direct all further questions to counsel for the District, Patricia Buchanan, at (206) 462-6703.”
Because the former music teacher has not been criminally charged Elkhorn Media Group did not name the individual in this report.
