Seven people filed a complaint in May against the Board of Education of Harford County, claiming sexual abuse by staff dating back to 1981. It’s one of at least four cases brought against the school board under the state’s Child Victims Act since it passed in 2023, court records show.

The plaintiffs claim grooming, inappropriate physical contact, forced sexual acts and rape at the hands of teachers, aides, transportation staff, other employees and fellow students, according to the complaint. They say the school board showed negligence and “created a culture where abuse could be concealed, dismissed or tolerated,” according to the complaint. They also claim the board has liability since the abuse happened on school grounds.

These cases fall under the Child Victims Act of 2023, which removed the statute of limitations for survivors to file civil claims against the abuser or those who knew about it. The act has undergone a number of hurdles since its passing in April 2023, including an appeal in the Supreme Court of Maryland and an amendment decreasing the cap for monetary damages.

Three of the cases brought against the Harford school board were filed in late May, following a surge in cases filed before the monetary cap was set to take effect in June.

The plaintiffs named in the suit currently range in age from 25 to 58 years old, and the alleged abuse occurred from 1981 to 2015, according to court documents.

Each plaintiff seeks damages over $75,000 for the “lasting trauma” that continues to “affect their mental health, relationships, trust in institutions and overall well-being,” according to the complaint. The impact has included post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, difficulty being in groups and trust issues.

“The Board failed to meet its most basic responsibility: protecting children,” according to the complaint. “The Board knew or should have known that its agents and/or employees were sexually abusing Plaintiffs and other students at its schools.”

The alleged abuse took place at eight schools: C. Milton Wright High School in Bel Air, William S. James Elementary School in Abingdon, Aberdeen High School in Aberdeen, Aberdeen Middle School in Aberdeen, Fallston High School in Fallston, Bakerfield Elementary School in Aberdeen, Prospect Hill Elementary School in Bel Air and Harford Technical High School in Bel Air.

The following incidents are detailed in the suit:

  • C.W., 35, claimed to be molested three times by a teacher-coach over a period of one month in or around 2004 when she was 15 and a student at C. Milton Wright High School. The perpetrator allegedly invited her into his office, pulled her toward him and kissed her along her neck.
  • H.N., 34, claimed to be molested by a principal, vice principal and third grade teacher at William S. James Elementary School between 1996 and 1998, starting when she was 7 years old. The alleged abuse occurred at least 25 times and included fondling, penetration, oral sex and threats.
  • J.B., 25, claimed to be molested in 2015 by a fellow student when she was 15 in one instance at Aberdeen High School.
  • L.D., 58, claimed to be molested multiple times by a gym teacher-basketball coach at Fallston High School starting in and around 1981 when she was 15. The perpetrator allegedly performed oral sex on and had sexual intercourse with her at her home, in the woods and at a church.
  • S.D., 44, claimed to be molested by multiple students at Bakerfield Elementary School around 1988 when he was 8 and continuing until he was 17. Students would allegedly target him in the school bus, hallways, classroom and bathroom to fondle his genitals. This allegedly occurred in front of a teacher and caused him to drop out of school.
  • W.M., 46, claimed to be sexually abused by an administrator at Prospect Mill Elementary School around 1989 when he was 11. The perpetrator allegedly fondled and groped him in an office.
  • Z.C., 44, claimed to be molested by an instructor at Harford Technical High School when he was 17 for an eight-month period around 1998. The instructor allegedly engaged in inappropriate physical contact, including fondling, and coerced him into performing sexual acts.

The complaint says the board failed to take action and implement “basic child protection policies,” which led to “an environment in which abuse could occur repeatedly and without detection.”

The three other suits under the Child Victims Act since 2023 name John Doe plaintiffs. Two cases were filed in late May, while the other was filed in October 2023 and has been reopened, court records show.

Baltimore Sun reporter Luke Parker contributed to this article.  Have a news tip? Contact Brendan Nordstrom at bnordstrom@baltsun.com or at (443) 900-1353.