Ninnekah Schools to Settle Sexual Abuse Lawsuit for $7.5m

Ninnekah Schools to Settle Sexual Abuse Lawsuit for $7.5m

Introduction

Ninnekah Public Schools will pay a $7.5 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed by 14 women and girls who alleged sexual abuse by their former high school basketball coach.

The settlement, which is considered a record for abuse cases in Oklahoma, surpasses the previous $5 million settlement from a hazing lawsuit involving Kingfisher Public Schools. The agreement was finalized in federal court in Oklahoma City.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2021 and accused district officials of negligence, infliction of emotional distress, and violations of Title IX and the Fourteenth Amendment. The plaintiffs, three of whom are still minors, are among many alleged victims of the coach, who is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence.

The coach was convicted in Grady County District Court last year of 10 felony counts, including sexual battery, rape by instrumentation, and lewd acts with a child under 16. Following his prison term, he will serve 25 years of probation and be required to register as a sex offender.

According to the plaintiffs, the abuse occurred from 2014 to 2021 while the coach was employed at Ninnekah Public Schools. The lead plaintiff, who reported the abuse in 2021, stated that the coach sexually touched her multiple times while she was 16 and 17 years old. Fearing she would lose her opportunity for a college basketball scholarship if she did not comply, she kept silent until coming forward. Other plaintiffs reported similar inappropriate touching and sexual comments made by the coach, stating that this behavior was ongoing throughout his time at the school.

The lawsuit also named five former district employees, including the district superintendent, high school principal, athletic director, and Title IX coordinator. The plaintiffs claimed these individuals were aware of rumors regarding the coach’s behavior but failed to report them, as required by Oklahoma law. State law mandates that all school employees must report any suspicions of child abuse to law enforcement and the state Department of Human Services. As part of the final settlement agreement, these individuals will be dropped from the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs' attorneys released a statement acknowledging the significant trauma experienced by the survivors and expressed hope that the settlement would bring awareness to the issue of child sexual abuse in Oklahoma public schools, potentially making schools safer across the state.

The settlement agreement requires Ninnekah Public Schools to pay $1.5 million within 30 days and the remaining $6 million over the next three years. The Ninnekah Board of Education, while denying any liability, approved the settlement on August 5. In a statement, the board explained that an adverse verdict in a trial would have posed a serious financial threat to the district’s solvency and ability to operate. The board expressed hope that the settlement would provide closure for the community and allow the district to focus on its educational mission moving forward.

News of the abuse and the coach’s subsequent arrest caused outrage in the small farming town of Ninnekah, which has a population of fewer than 800 people. Local residents packed school board meetings, furious that the abuse had been allowed to continue for so long. The scandal led to multiple suspensions and resignations of school officials, as well as an overhaul of the district’s Title IX procedures. The Oklahoma State Department of Education downgraded Ninnekah’s accreditation status, citing a “total breakdown” in student protections under Title IX.

The original lawsuit also named the Grady County sheriff, a detective, and Friend Public School as defendants. The sheriff’s office had investigated a complaint against the coach in 2015, when a young woman from Friend Public School alleged that the coach had sexually abused her while she was in eighth grade.

However, the investigation did not result in any action, and Grady County investigators later discovered that the case file had gone missing. Although the sheriff, detective, and Friend Public School were removed from the lawsuit after four months, the plaintiffs’ complaint suggested that all three parties failed to fully investigate the 2015 allegations.

The $7.5 million settlement will be borne by the taxpayers of Ninnekah. In addition to the financial costs, the district faces significant reputational damage as a result of the scandal. However, plaintiffs hope that the case will serve as a wake-up call to other schools across the state, encouraging stronger efforts to protect students from abuse.