A lawsuit has been filed against the Bethel School District No. 403 in Pierce County, claiming that the district failed to prevent a sexual assault by a student with a known history of sexual misconduct.
According to attorneys at Stritmatter Law, who are representing the victim, a student was entered into a Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative (SSODA) plea in 2022.
That student enrolled in Graham-Kapowsin High School in 2023.
Students in SSODA are juvenile sexual offenders. Under state law, students are entitled to an education, so they may only attend public school under “strict, court-imposed conditions designed to protect other students.”
Some of the conditions set forth under SSODA can include: limiting the student’s time on campus to class hours only, prohibiting early arrival or after-school presence, restricting participation in extracurricular activities, prohibiting unsupervised contact with children who are more than 24 months younger than the student and requiring ongoing monitoring by school officials in coordination with probation officers and treatment providers.
On Sept. 4, 2024, the student in SSODA is accused of waiting until another student was alone before following her into a bathroom, where he allegedly blocked her from leaving and sexually assaulted her.
The suit said the school failed to properly monitor the student or enforce safety plans in place for him.
At the time of the alleged assault, he was walking around unsupervised.
“A school should be a sanctuary, not a hunting ground. When those entrusted with a child’s safety turn a blind eye to the potential for abuse, they don’t merely fail in their duty, they become complicit in the harm.
This case is not about a single lapse in judgment. It is about a school district that had every opportunity, every warning, and every legal obligation to protect [child] and failed,” the suit said in its opening paragraph.
When asked for a statement, the district told KIRO 7 that it does not comment on litigation.
There have been a few other lawsuits brought forth against the district, alleging that the district: allowed a sex offender to interact with students without safeguards, didn’t stop sexual assaults in the special education program, and didn’t tackle student “fight clubs.”
Students walked out in protest in February 2022, calling on the district to address these issues.
The family is suing for damages that include emotional distress, psychological trauma, and a “pervasive sense of fear and vulnerability.” The victim has experienced anxiety, hypervigilance, and difficulty concentrating, according to the suit.
The damages will be determined at or before trial, based on medical records, expert evaluation, and testimony.
The family is calling for:
A full independent investigation into Bethel School District’s repeated failures to protect students from known sex offenders.
Immediate policy reforms to prevent future assaults.
Mandatory enforcement of SSODA restrictions for all sex offenders in public schools.
Disciplinary action against all District staff that failed to enforce restrictions and safety measures in place to protect students.
In a statement, the victim’s family said:
“This lawsuit is deeply personal for our family. What happened to our child at school has devastated us in ways we never imagined. We are carrying the weight of grief, anger, and uncertainty as we try to protect and support our child through something no family should ever have to face.
By moving forward with this case, we hope to find justice—not only for our child, but to prevent this from ever happening to another student. We want to hold those responsible accountable so that schools take stronger measures to protect the children entrusted to them. Our greatest hope is that by speaking up, changes will be made. We want our voices to matter, for the truth to be recognized, and for our child’s suffering not to be in vain.“