A lawsuit has been filed against an Oregon nonprofit organization, Portland Public Schools, and Multnomah County by a young girl and her guardian for $9 million. The suit alleges negligence on the part of the defendants resulting in the sexual abuse and rape of the girl when she was a 9-year-old third grader. The incidents occurred at the girl’s elementary school and an after-school program operated by Multnomah County in partnership with Latino Network and Portland Public Schools. The lawsuit claims that the girl experienced multiple episodes of nonconsensual sexual touching during school hours, leading to a violent incident with a male classmate where she was suspended along with her attacker.
In the aftermath of the incident at school, the lawsuit alleges that two male students trapped the girl in a bathroom stall during recess at their after-school program and raped her. The school only became aware of the assault when one of the perpetrators’ parents reported it after hearing about it from their child. Despite the severity of the assault, the school chose to conduct an internal investigation and failed to immediately notify law enforcement or the girl’s parents about the incident. The girl’s father then decided to enroll her and her brother in another Portland public school due to concerns about their safety.
The lawsuit accuses Portland Public Schools of negligence in failing to properly train students on appropriate sexual boundaries and how to report abuse, leading to the plaintiff feeling that she would be reprimanded for protecting herself. It also alleges that the school system did not inform after-school program staff about the plaintiff’s vulnerabilities and failed to adequately train employees to recognize and report child sex abuse. Similarly, Latino Network and Multnomah County are accused of negligence for not monitoring students during the after-school program and failing to train employees to recognize and report child sexual grooming and abuse.
Portland Public Schools issued a statement acknowledging the new allegations and stating that they are investigating the matter. The school district emphasized its responsibility to report any possible instances of child abuse and neglect to the Oregon Department of Human Services, and that such reports are confidential. Multnomah County declined to comment on the pending litigation, while Latino Network expressed pain at the situation and stated their commitment to trauma-informed practices. All three defendants are working with their legal representation to address the allegations in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed in March in Circuit Court in Multnomah County, seeking $9 million in damages for the negligence and resulting trauma inflicted on the young girl. The case highlights the importance of proper training and awareness in schools and after-school programs to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual abuse and misconduct. It also underscores the responsibility of educational institutions and organizations to prioritize the safety and well-being of their students, and the need for swift action and transparency in addressing such serious accusations.
