California district pays $725,000 to student victimized by sexual abuse

The Lafayette (Calif.) School District will pay $725,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former middle school student who was sexually abused by a teacher in 2010. The Contra Costa Times says the girl sued in 2012 over he repeated abuse she suffered at age 14 during private tutoring sessions with MIchael Merrick in his classroom at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette. The suit contended that district employees had received complaints about Merrick fondling other female students before his October 2010 arrest and failed to report them. The district does not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement. Merrick pleaded guilty to six felony sex crimes and was sentenced to five years and eight months in state prison.