ALLENTOWN – A Chester Springs woman accuses the Owen J. Roberts School District of failing to protect her from being molested by her philosophy teacher when she was a high school student in 2020.
M.L. filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on March 3 versus Owen J. Roberts School District, its Superintendent Susan Lloyd, its Assistant Superintendent Kathy Soeder and its Principal Ken Napaver, all of Pottstown, plus one of its former teachers, Stephen E. Raught of Reading.
“On or about March 16, 2020, Raught engaged in inappropriate, physical/sexual contact with the plaintiff, a minor at the time, including but not limited to touching and hugging and kissing her, stomach, legs and vaginal area, despite the District being on quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These occasions were not the first alleged improper contacts by Raught with high school children in his charge,” the suit says.
“While employed at the District, complaints about Raught’s inappropriate behavior towards female students, including touching, during the years of 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2015 were reported and upon information and belief a thorough investigation by the District was not conducted into each complaint. Upon information and belief, the District’s documentation about the investigation regarding Raught’s previous behavior was ‘scant and lacking details.’ Neither the District nor any official of Owen J. Roberts High School made any attempt to thoroughly investigate Raught’s previous inappropriate behavior and conduct, said investigation was inadequate.”
Raught was acquitted of most criminal charges but was found guilty of endangering the welfare of children. Prosecutors want him to spend 23 months in jail for it.
Despite the number of allegations made against Raught, a teacher at the school of 18 years at the time the events of the instant lawsuit took place, the suit states that District administrators took no action against him. Even after an independent assessment of prior District practices in this regard, Raught faced no discipline, according to the litigation.
The suit goes on to allege that Raught engaged in classic “victim grooming” conduct to the plaintiff over a period of years, gaining her trust before molesting her on school property.
“As a result of the outrageously shocking conduct of the defendants, plaintiff has sustained severe harm, including but not limited to physical abuse, sexual molestation, severe emotional distress and anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and social withdrawal, including, among other things, bouts and fits of crying, disruption of her ability to enjoy life’s pleasures, and destruction of her sense of safety and well-being,” the suit states.
“As a result of these harms, the plaintiff has suffered irreparably and will continue to suffer permanently, necessitating therapeutic medical and/or psychological treatments, which are likely to persist throughout her lifetime. As further result of the abuse she has suffered, plaintiff has suffered a significant interference with her ability to learn and otherwise enjoy the benefits of the education and educational services of the District, all to her permanent detriment.”
For counts of civil rights violations under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, a Title IX violation, intentional and outrageous infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery, the plaintiffs are seeking, individually, jointly and separately, general and compensatory damages against all defendants, punitive damages against Raught, attorney’s fees and costs pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 1988 and Title IX; and such other relief as the Court deems just and equitable.
The plaintiff is represented by Michael F. Barrett, Joseph G. DeAngelo and Michael Mongeluzzi of Barrett DeAngelo, in West Chester.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case 5:22-cv-00812
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com