CA School District to Pay $2.25M to Settle Suit Over Teacher’s Student Pregnancy

California School ‌District Settles Lawsuit Involving Teacher’s Sexual Abuse

A ‍Southern California school district has agreed to pay $2.25 million to settle a lawsuit concerning a​ teacher who became pregnant by one of her students, whom she was accused of sexually abusing. This settlement brings ​the total amount paid​ by the Redlands Unified School District to Laura Whitehurst’s victims to ⁢$8.25⁢ million since her​ arrest ​in 2013.

In a previous case, the district had already agreed to pay $6 million to ​a former student who⁢ impregnated⁢ Ms. Whitehurst while she was his teacher.

The most recent lawsuit, filed in 2021, was brought​ by another former student who claimed to ⁢have been ​preyed upon and sexually abused‍ by Ms. Whitehurst at Redlands High School​ in 2007 and⁢ 2008‍ when he was‌ just⁣ 14 years old, according to the plaintiff’s attorney, Morgan Stewart.‌ Ms. Whitehurst confessed to the police in 2013 that she had‌ engaged⁤ in sexual activity with the student on multiple occasions,⁣ both in her‍ classroom and ⁣at her apartment.

Redlands Unified spokesperson Christine Stephens stated‍ that the district was aware of the settlement but could not provide further⁣ comment due to confidentiality agreements.

In the previous lawsuit, the student⁤ who fathered Ms. Whitehurst’s child alleged that school officials were ⁤aware of their relationship ‍but failed to inform ⁣his family.

Ms. Whitehurst gave birth in 2014 after a year-long⁢ sexual relationship with the student, ⁢which ​began when he was 16.

As a result of her actions, Ms. Whitehurst, an English teacher and soccer coach, pleaded guilty​ to unlawful ⁣sex with ‍three former students. She served six months in jail and is now a​ registered sex offender.