Paulina, O’Brien County, Iowa.
The Court has approved the South O’Brien Community School District’s agreement to pay $625,000.00 to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a special education student who was sexually assaulted by a fellow student in the building of South O’Brien High School, during school hours.
The suit, filed by the Government Accountability Division of GRL Law back in August of 2022, alleged that the special education student was victimized by a fellow, higher functioning, special education student, at times, when they were the only two students being taught by a single teacher. All three named defendants were no longer employed by the O’Brien Community School District by the time the lawsuit was filed.
Thankfully, positive changes were already in the process of being implemented at the School District under a new Administration before the lawsuit was filed. The lawsuit took almost five years to reach a final resolution and GRL Law is grateful to our clients for their patience and persistence to see this case through. It was a long road to travel but one that GRL Law and the family sincerely believe will have a lasting, positive impact on the safety and supervision of special education students throughout the state of Iowa.
