Homewood, IL – A settlement has been reached in a civil lawsuit that alleged a suburban high school failed to properly investigate a sexual assault allegation.
The lawsuit was filed by Jessica Johnson and her daughter, Amayah Blair against Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233.
The $3.5 million settlement reached on Friday stems from allegations that the school failed to properly investigate a sexual assault that took place on its campus in October 2022.
Blair, who was a junior at the time, reported that she was sexually assaulted by a male student during a theater class. No criminal charges were ever filed, but Blair and her mother took legal action, arguing that the school's administration did not respond adequately to the incident.
"The whole point of us going through with going to trial was to get some type of justice for what happened. It wasn't about any money," Blair said during press conference.
Her mother, Jessica Johnson, also expressed frustration with the outcome.
"Not one moment did they stand up and say, ‘This occurred. We apologize, and we will take actions to ensure it doesn't happen again,’" she stated. "There has to be some things put into place, and it is beyond the settlement and beyond this money. And so the fight continues."
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The lawsuit named the Board of Education of Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School District 233, Principal Clinton Alexander, and a teacher, Deena Cassady, as defendants.
The settlement was reached without an admission of wrongdoing by the district.
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In a statement, the school district said:
"Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School’s insurance carrier entered into a settlement agreement on behalf of the district to resolve a lawsuit brought by a former female student. The settlement does not admit any wrongdoing or fault by the school district or its staff. We continue to believe that our administration, teachers, and staff responded swiftly and appropriately and in the best interests of the students."
Attorney Daniel Fritz, who represented Blair and Johnson, criticized the district’s handling of the case.
"They wouldn’t be paying three and a half million dollars if there weren’t a sexual assault. This has everything to do with sexual assault. The fact that they can't acknowledge that just shows that they are unwilling to make changes,” he said.
Following the incident in 2022, students organized protests outside the school, demanding accountability from administrators. Protesters chanted, "No means no," emphasizing concerns about how similar allegations had been handled in the past.
While the legal case has been settled, Blair and Johnson say their mission for change is far from over.
"This settlement will not lead to any changes, which we say are needed at the school," Blair stated.
Attorneys for the family say they have been contacted by several other students who reported similar experiences, raising further concerns about the school's response to such cases.
As the community processes the impact of this case, Homewood-Flossmoor High School has reiterated its commitment to student safety.
"We will move forward and remain focused on our work – educating and supporting the 2,700 students who depend on us every day," the district’s statement read.
