Watertown NY Schools Settle $3M ’60s Teacher Abuse Case

Watertown NY Schools Settle $3M ’60s Teacher Abuse Case

Introduction

The Watertown City School District has agreed to pay $3 million to settle two lawsuits filed by women who say they were sexually assaulted by a teacher in the 1960s. Court documents filed in New York State Supreme Court this month confirm the settlement, which allocates $2.5 million to one woman and $500,000 to the other.

Allegations Against Former Teacher

According to the first lawsuit, the Case Junior High School teacher began molesting a 15-year-old student in 1966. The abuse allegedly continued for about three years, occurring both on school grounds and at other locations.

The second woman’s lawsuit claims she was sexually assaulted in 1968 when she was about 14 years old. The complaint states that the assault happened at the teacher’s home, where he allegedly lured her “under the guise of helping with schoolwork.” The teacher has denied all allegations in court filings.

District’s Denial and Settlement Decision

Both lawsuits assert that the school district knew or should have known about the teacher’s misconduct but failed to act. In court papers, the district denied wrongdoing, saying the settlement was reached to avoid further legal costs and prolonged litigation.

District Superintendent Larry Schmiegel confirmed the settlement in a statement, explaining that the district’s reserve funds and insurance coverage would fund the payments. “We are hopeful to have these matters concluded soon,” Schmiegel said, adding that the district cannot comment further on pending legal issues.

Legal Context: The Child Victims Act

The lawsuits were filed under New York’s Child Victims Act, enacted in 2019, which extended the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The law allowed victims to pursue civil cases that were previously time-barred, giving many the opportunity to seek justice decades after the abuse occurred.