California school district will pay another $2.25 million to settle lawsuits over teacher Laura Whitehurst’s abuse of students
- The settlement brings the amount Redlands Unified School District has paid to Laura Whitehurst’s victims since her arrest in 2013 to $8.25 million.
- In August 2016, the district agreed to pay $6 million to a former student who got Whitehurst pregnant while she was his teacher
- Whitehurst admitted to police in 2013 that she had sex with the youth 10 to 15 times in her classroom and apartment, according to a police report
A Southern California school district will pay an additional $2.25 million to settle the latest lawsuit involving a teacher who became pregnant by one of the two students she was accused of sexually abusing.
The settlement brings the amount Redlands Unified School District has paid to Laura Whitehurst’s victims since her arrest in 2013 to $8.25 million.
In August 2016, the district agreed to pay $6 million to a former student who got Whitehurst pregnant while she was his teacher.
The latest lawsuit was filed in 2021 by another former student who alleged he was preyed upon and sexually assaulted at Redlands High School by Whitehurst in 2007 and 2008, when he was 14, according to the plaintiff’s attorney, Morgan Stewart.
Whitehurst admitted to police in 2013 that she had sex with the youth 10 to 15 times in her classroom and apartment, according to a police report.
A Southern California school district will pay an additional $2.25 million to settle the latest lawsuit involving a teacher, Laura Whitehurst, who became pregnant by one of at least two students she was accused of sexually abusing
Redlands Unified spokesperson Christine Stephens said Friday that the district was aware of the recent settlement but could not comment due to confidentiality agreements.
In the other lawsuit, the boy who fathered Whitehurst’s child alleged that Redlands Unified officials knew about his relationship with the teacher and failed to warn his family.
Whitehurst gave birth in 2014 after having sex with the boy for a year, starting when he was 16.
Whitehurst, who taught English and coached football, pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with three former students.
She faced 41 felony charges but took a plea deal after agreeing to plead guilty to six of the 41 charges.
She served six months in prison and was registered as a sex offender.
The former AP English teacher gave birth to a baby girl in June 2013 after having a year-long relationship with the student. CBS News reported.
The lawsuit was filed against the school district the following year after the student’s attorney, Vince Finaldi, claimed the district “turned a blind eye” to the inappropriate behavior.
The settlement brings the amount Redlands Unified School District has paid to Laura Whitehurst’s victims since her arrest in 2013 to $8.25 million.
Redlands Unified School District officials placed all blame on Whitehurst and admitted no guilt in settling the lawsuit
Whitehurst, who taught English and coached football, pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with three former students. She faced 41 felony charges but took a plea deal after agreeing to plead guilty to six of the 41 charges. She served six months in prison
“The magnitude of this settlement reflects the severity of the harm caused to this young victim and his family, and also highlights the extreme malfeasance and neglect by school officials who turned a blind eye to a teacher’s criminal conduct and failed to protect student. Finaldi said.
The lawsuit alleged that the district failed to notify the student’s parents after there was reason to believe sexual abuse occurred.
The sexual contact between Whitehurst and the student began in 2012, when the boy was 16.
The student claimed he was stalked by Whitehurst prior to their relationship and that she told him she could not get pregnant.
The student was present at the birth of their daughter and shares custody of the baby. However, there is a no-contact order between Whitehurst and the student.