Barstow Unified School District settles sexual abuse case for $2.38 million
Barstow Unified School District officials have reached a $2.38-million settlement with a former student who was sexually abused by her then-principal at Barstow STEM Academy.
The settlement was announced Wednesday by attorneys from Manly, Stewart and Finaldi, who represent the victim, as well as two-dozen other plaintiffs in seven separate sexual abuse cases against the district.
The case centered around Mark Hassell, who pleaded guilty to one count of child molestation in 2016 following his arrest in early-2015. He was accused of carrying on a sexual relationship with a student, who was 17 years old at the time.
Under a negotiated plea arrangement, seven additional child molestation-related counts were dismissed. He was sentenced to a year in jail, which was served through a work release program, and five years of probation, according to the law firm.
Allegations against Barstow Unified School District
Prior to becoming principal at Barstow STEM Academy, Hassell worked as a coach, teacher and associate principal at Barstow High School, according to the plaintiff's attorneys.
Over a two year period, multiple school district personnel "received reports of sexual misconduct by Hassell toward the victim, but they took no action to remove him from teaching, report him to law enforcement, or prevent him from accessing and abusing the victim," the lawyers said in a written statement.
"Barstow Unified School District has a child sexual abuse scandal brewing that is on par with what we have seen within Redlands Unified School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District," attorney Morgan Stewart said. "Their actions and court filings in this case clearly demonstrate their propensity to cover up reports of child sexual abuse and their total disregard for the safety of students."
BUSD officials confirmed the settlement, describing it in a written statement as "a mutual agreement by all parties involved."
"The Barstow Unified School District is committed to its responsibility to educate students in a safe environment and it takes this responsibility seriously," according to the statement. "The Barstow Unified School District will continue to pursue its mission to help students achieve academic success in an environment that is safe and conducive to learning."
Law firm representatives said they had asked the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office to conduct a criminal investigation into the school personnel for failing to report Hassell to authorities, but the office declined, citing a lack of evidence.
More: Hassell takes deal in sex case
'Bizarre arguments'
Lawyers for the victim in the recent case accused the BUSD attorneys of employing "bizarre arguments in court filings to justify the failure of school district employees to meet their reporting obligations under the law."
Such arguments included that child abuse and neglect "has existed and has unfortunately been accepted by society since time in memorial," and that the plaintiff "knew her actions to be wrong and did them anyway," according to the statement from Manly, Stewart and Finaldi.
"What kind of public school district tries to convince a judge to dismiss a lawsuit by arguing that child abuse and infanticide used to be acceptable?" Stewart said.
More: ‘Culture of intimidation’: BUSD pays $2.4 million to avoid student sex abuse jury trial
The BUSD settled another sexual abuse lawsuit settlement in 2021. The suit, in which a plaintiff alleged abuse by a teacher at Barstow High School, was settled for $2.4 million.
Manly, Stewart and Finaldi represents 24 other plaintiffs in seven additional lawsuits against the BUSD alleging sexual abuse at various campuses between 1981 and 2006.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Barstow school district settles sexual abuse case for $2.38 million
