GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Five students' families are suing Grand Rapids Public Schools over their handling of sexual assault allegations involving a former University Prep Academy math teacher.
High-profile attorney Gloria Allred and west Michigan attorney Genie Eardley announced the lawsuit Tuesday alongside two of the victims' mothers.
The lawsuit itself is more than 40 pages long, according to Allred, and contains some salacious details of encounters between former University Prep math teacher Jamila Williams and her then students.
"Our lawsuit alleges that she [Williams] would snap her 'thong' underwear at the back of her pants in the hallway and made comments about the sexual attractiveness of young male students openly," explained Allred. "Williams also was known to simply take certain male students off campus during the school day."
The lawsuit claims GRPS violated state law and Title IX after it was revealed Williams had sex with her students.
"Just so everyone is aware, the school district has responsibility here under federal law to make sure the children are safe and protected," said Eardley.
Back in June 2013, Williams was accused of having sex with two students. Three weeks later, two more boys alleged sexual contact with the former math teacher. The then 35-year-old was facing 7 counts of criminal sexual conduct. On September 19, 2013, Williams pleaded no contest to the charges against her. In October, she was sentenced to between 8 and 15 years behind bars. Upon her release, she must register as a sex offender.
"There is case law - right on point - that says a school district can't just say it's criminal; we're out of it; we wash our hands of this," Eardley explained. "And that's what they [GRPS] did."
GRPS released a statement in response to the lawsuit:
“Grand Rapids Public Schools cannot comment on pending litigation.”
"We believe that when all the facts come out in court that Grand Rapids University Prep Academy will get failing grades and that in the future they will more fully understand their legal obligations," Allred said.
In a civil lawsuit, the burden of proof is lower than in a criminal case where a jury must decide beyond a reasonable doubt whether a person is guilty. In this instance, the plaintiffs must prove their case by a preponderance of the evidence, meaning the jury must only believe the accused – in this case, the district – is probably guilty.
