Hamilton County Schools is expected to pay an undisclosed settlement to a female student who filed a federal lawsuit after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a male student.
District Judge Curtis L Collier found Friday the settlement agreement was in the best interest of the child, according to a minute entry.
“This is a case about how a public school and its administrators failed to protect a young female student from sexual assault, harassment and bullying,” the complaint said.
A reporter attended the federal hearing but was asked to leave shortly after it started because the minor’s medical history would be discussed. The teenager was seated alongside her attorneys in an otherwise empty courtroom.
All the federal documents pertaining to the settlement agreement are also sealed. The Chattanooga Times Free Press has a pending open records request with the Hamilton County Board of Education for information related to the payout.