A tentative settlement has been reached in a negligence lawsuit filed on behalf of a girl who alleged she was sexually abused by a teacher at a Sherman Oaks charter school and that the administration did not take action despite ongoing rumors about the relationship.
The plaintiff, identified only as Jane Doe, was 13 years old when her Van Nuys Superior Court lawsuit was brought in October 2022 against Ivy Bound Academy Charter School. On Thursday, attorneys for the girl filed papers with Judge Valerie Salkin notifying her of a “conditional” settlement in the case with the expectation a request for dismissal will be filed by May 24.
No terms were divulged.
In their previous court papers, school lawyers denied the girl’s allegations and said their client could not be held liable for the alleged sexual abuse.
According to the suit, the plaintiff was sexually abused by teacher Samantha Arizabal in 2021 and 2022 at the Sherman Oaks campus, at the girl’s home, in Arizabal’s car and elsewhere. Arizabal began grooming Doe “with the intent of manipulating her emotions and taking advantage of her young age so that she could ultimately sexually abuse plaintiff,” the suit alleges.
Arizabal allegedly initiated adult-type conversations with Doe in person, through text messaging and on social media while taking advantage of the girl’s fragile mental state during a particularly vulnerable time in the plaintiff’s young life, according to the complaint.
“Ms. Arizabal’s manipulative and abusive behavior included threats and directives not to tell anyone about their unlawful affairs,” according to the suit, which further alleges that Arizabal’s directives were “intended to persuade her to keep silent” and kept Doe from immediately confiding in her parents.
Rumors circulated about Arizabal’s alleged relationship with Doe, but no action was taken by the school administration or staff, which “knew or should have known” about the teacher’s alleged misconduct with the plaintiff, the suit states.
Ivy Bound Academy is a math, science and technology charter middle school serving students in grades five through eight.