The LA school district has agreed to pay a historic settlement. A now-20-year-old woman will get five million dollars after she was molested by her middle school math teacher. The payout is the largest single-victim settlement by the country’s second-largest school district according to the LA Times.
Officials say the girl was just 13 years old and in 8th grade when Thomas Edison Middle School math teacher, Elkis Hermida began abusing her. The abuse went on for 7 months in the classroom and near campus. Attorneys for the district argued that the young girl was mature ad she consented to the sexual relationship, saying that the teacher, who was 30 at the time, never used physical force. He was sentenced to three years in jail, however, the original verdict was overturned in appeals court. The case led to state lawmakers to get rid of so-called minors consent as a defense in abuse cases. The district agreed to the historic settlement a day before this case was set to go back to trial this week.
“She was abused in the classroom and victimized a second time in the courtroom,” stated John Taylor, an attorney for the woman. “Her courage and persistence will make it easier for other abuse victims to pursue their claims without fear of being blamed for the abuse.”