DAVIS COUNTY, Utah – A former student is suing the Davis County School District, alleging the district did not do enough to protect the plaintiff and others from a female teacher who has been accused of sexual misconduct with three male students.
Brianne Altice had her bail revoked earlier this year and remains in the Davis County Jail as she faces 14 felony charges, which include five counts of first-degree felony rape. Altice allegedly enticed three male students into having sexual relations with her.
In court documents filed March 6, the family of one student alleges that the school district did not properly monitor, train or retrain Altice and that they did not properly supervise her. In a claim attached to the lawsuit, the family seeks damages of at least $674,000. FOX 13 News does not generally name victims in cases of alleged sexual abuse.
The claim states they are seeking, “economic and non-economic damages for the mental, psychological, physical and/or emotional damages he sustained as a result of Davis County School District’s negligence and the action of their employee, Brianne Altice.”
The lawsuit further alleges that Davis County School District officials had on at least one occasion reprimanded the teacher after, “seeing photographs of her having inappropriate contact with students but, Defendant failed to take sufficient steps to either terminate her or supervise her.”
According to the documents, Altice initiated a sexual relationship with the then 17-year-old student on or about February 1 of 2013. The document states the teacher engaged in flirtatious conversations during class time, encouraged him to visit her during her preparation period, texted him during school hours and met him on or near school grounds.
The lawsuit alleges Altice first had sex with the plaintiff after, “luring him from school grounds and then driving him to her home, during school hours.” The lawsuit alleges sexual encounters occurred at least three more times during school hours and on or near school grounds.
The lawsuit claims the school district did not adequately train, retrain or supervise Altice, and alleges the district was negligent when it screened and hired Altice. They further claim the district negligently kept the teacher on after being made aware she was allegedly engaging in inappropriate behavior with students, and the lawsuit notes that the relationship between Alitce and the student were initiated within Altice’s work hours and in the ordinary boundaries of her employment.
The lawsuit states that the student has incurred medical expenses as a result and will continue to incur future economic damages. The lawsuit says the teen suffered non-economic damages that include severe emotional and mental distress as well as pain and suffering that they said should be compensated for “an amount in excess of $300,000.” The claim attached to the lawsuit states the family is seeking damages of at least $674,000, though an exact number is not specified.
FOX 13 News reached out to Davis County School District, and spokesman Chris Williams said because the lawsuit is ongoing they will not be commenting.
Altice was most recently in court in an effort to have some of the charges against her thrown out. That motion was denied, click here for details. Altice remains in the Davis County Jail.
