Washington State School District Settles $9.5 Million Student Sex Abuse Case
The University Place School District in Washington State reached a $9.5 million settlement in a sex abuse case against three former students.
In 2020, allegations came to light regarding David O’ Connor: a volunteer wrestling coach from 2003 to 2010. Students claimed that O’ Connor had engaged “in a pattern of grooming, isolation, and sexual abuse… when they were 14 to 16 years old.” Additionally, they believed that the University Place School District did not take proper precautions regarding the hiring and oversight of O’ Connor.
It was no secret that O’ Connor had a criminal past. In fact, he had previously pled guilty to the sexual abuse of five children in Washington State in 1977. The school failed to act on this information, and as a result, numerous children’s lives were altered permanently.
The case against David O’ Connor was settled just before a four-week trial was scheduled to begin in March 2023. The settlement’s size is a testament to the trauma endured by the teenagers of the University Place School District. It serves as a reminder of the precautions that institutions must take in order to prevent abuse like this in the future.
The settlement is a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak situation, as Washington state law “allows victims to make criminal or civil complaints up to three years after they discover the abuse.” Many survivors do not realize the magnitude of the pain they have experienced until years later, as the brain can block traumatic memories as a means of protection. The law was pivotal in the case against O’ Connor, and creates an opportunity for other potential survivors to come forward.
Authors: Alexis Kabat and Andy Goldwasser
