A judge is not dismissing a claim of failure to report suspected child abuse, part of a lawsuit from a man who says he was sexually abused as a teen by a Los Angeles Unified math teacher, but the plaintiff will have to shore up the cause of action for it to remain part of the complaint.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jeffery McFarland issued a ruling Friday in which he disagreed with the LAUSD’s claim of immunity, but he did call the details provided by the plaintiff “conclusory” and in need of more supporting information.
The plaintiff, identified only as John Doe, had math teacher Jane Kim during his sophomore year at Dorsey High School in the 2009-10 school year, according to the suit.
“While plaintiff alleges that others at Dorsey noticed Kim and plaintiff’s interactions and would say that they appeared to be `in love,’ there are no allegations that (the district’s) employees were among those who observed this conduct,” the judge wrote.
According to the lawsuit, Kim was in her 30s at the time and “immediately took an interest in plaintiff and began grooming and conditioning him with the specific intent of manipulating his emotions and taking advantage of his young age so that she could ultimately sexually abuse him.”
According to the suit, Kim allowed Doe to spend a substantial amount of time in her classroom, including nutrition, lunch and after school under the guise of tutoring him and over time the teacher’s actions became “more flirtatious and inappropriate” as she began buying him gifts and food.
Eventually, Kim allegedly sexually abused Doe dozens of times in her classroom at Dorsey, told him she loved him and that she felt jealous if he interacted with female students, according to the suit.
Doe ultimately “broke free” from Kim’s alleged grooming and manipulation and ended the relationship while he was still a Dorsey student, according to the suit, which was filed in May 2025 when the plaintiff was 30 years old. It also alleges sexual abuse of a minor, intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, negligence, negligent supervision of a minor and negligent hiring, retention and supervision.