Illinois school settles $3.5M sexual assault lawsuit

A $3.5 million settlement has been reached in a sexual assault case involving Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Illinois. The lawsuit was filed by the family of a student who was allegedly assaulted during a theater class on October 31, 2022. The lawsuit named the Board of Education for the school district, along with the school principal and a teacher. According to the family's attorneys, the school informed the victim’s mother about the incident but restricted her to a conference room without sharing details about her daughter's well-being. The family’s lawyer stated that they aim to highlight a "culture of sexual and physical violence" at the school and are advocating for necessary changes to improve safety. The victim, Amayah Blair, her mother, Jessica Johnson, and their lawyer spoke to the media about the settlement. They decided to go public to raise awareness and encourage accountability for such incidents. The situation remains under development, and further updates are expected.