The Osseo school district has agreed to pay $61,500 to an elementary school student who was sexually harassed by an assistant principal in the 2021-2022 school year.
The settlement was announced Tuesday by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. A department investigation found that the district violated the state’s civil rights law by failing to stop the assistant principal from sexually harassing the student.
Under the settlement, the district also agreed to send a written apology letter to the student and hold a listening session with the student and her parents — terms that are unusual in such settlements.
In a statement, Osseo Area Schools wrote: “As always, our foremost priority is a safe and welcoming learning environment for all our students. Since this case in 2021-22, staff trainings and student education have substantially increased. Additionally, our schools have encouraged students, parents/caregivers and staff to reach out with any concerns.”
No criminal charges were filed in the case and the assistant principal, who was not named in Tuesday’s announcement, has not been an Osseo schools employee since 2022, a district spokeswoman noted.
Department investigators found that during the 2021–22 school year, the assistant principal used his position of authority to sexually harass a student. He told the student that he could not stop looking at her, went out of his way to interact with her and rested his head on a minor’s shoulder.
The investigation concluded that Osseo Area Schools knew or should have known about the harassment. The district received credible reports from students, teachers and the student’s parents, but took no meaningful action to stop or prevent the misconduct. The assistant principal’s behavior ultimately led the student’s parents to withdraw her from the district.
“When a Minnesota school knows or should have known about discrimination and harassment, and fails to take meaningful action to prevent it, it not only causes tremendous harm to the student and their family, but it also violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero in a statement.
