Abuse claims from 1980s at NJ school settled for $2.5 million

BRIDGETON — This New Jersey school district has settled a $2.5 million lawsuit with a former student who accused her teacher of sexual abuse.

The accusations stem from more than 40 years ago, according to an unidentified woman. It's one of many cases filed after the New Jersey Legislature extended the statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault to file civil lawsuits in 2019.

Though the lawsuit was first publicly reported on Monday by John Paff with transparencynj.com, the settlement was reached a year ago.

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Claims of negligent hiring and a lack of oversight

In court filings, the woman said she was groomed as a minor at a Bridgeton school from 1982 to 1986. The accused teacher, identified only as J.Y., was already dead when the lawsuit was first filed in May 2021.

"J.Y. used his position of trust or supervision over Plaintiff JANE DOE to sexually abuse
her by initiating and engaging in physical sexual contact on a regular and repeated basis," court papers said. The lawsuit also accuses the district of failing to do its due diligence in vetting the teacher before hiring him.

However, additional public details are scarce. It's unclear if the abuse accusations were raised while the woman was a student, or how long the teacher continued to work for Bridgeton schools after the alleged abuse took place.

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