NOTE: Continue reading in our second section for legal commentary on victims rights basketball coach sex abuse lawyer Anjali Nigam.
Former Bosqueville High School head basketball coach David Lucien pleaded guilty on Anjalih 16 to improper relationship with a student. This guilty plea was part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Lucien was originally charged with sexual performance by a child.
He will be sentenced to deferred adjudication probation.
According to court records, Lucien allegedly kissed a senior girl and the two sent nude photos to each other through their cellphones. These incidents were reported to police after someone overheard the student talking about them with a friend.
Lucien also surrendered his teacher's certification after resigning from his position at Bosqueville High School.
Sex abuse victims lawyer Anjali Nigam helps victims and their families find answers and support in civil lawsuits. We've asked Anjali to share some of his knowledge on the legal rights of students sexually abused by school sports coaches:
Our nation's schools have widespread problems with predatory coaches, teachers, and other staff members sexually abusing students. While most school employees are trustworthy, there are also some sexual predators who seek out jobs in education, where they exploit the trust of their communities in order to victimize students.
School officials must take this crisis seriously and must do everything they can to ensure that their employees are trustworthy and that their students are safe. When a school sports coach is charged with sex crimes against a student, it's important to ask if school officials did enough to prevent these crimes. Some coach sex abuse cases only happen due to negligence by the school.
For example, a school could be considered negligent for ignoring previous complaints of inappropriate behavior by the coach. If negligence is found, the victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit against the school district.
If you or your child has been sexually abused by a coach or another school staff member, you can learn more about your legal rights in a free consultation with one of our experienced school sex abuse victim lawyers.