A B.C. woman is suing the New Westminster school district and others claiming she was sexually molested by a female teacher.
A B.C. Supreme Court Oct. 17 notice of civil claim alleges teacher Jean Grace Robertson psychologically and sexually abused N.W.S.S.B. between September 1975 and September 1976 when she was a student aged 14-15 at New Westminster Secondary School.
The school district said it only heard of the allegations when it received the lawsuit.
“We understand the alleged events occurred nearly 50 years ago,” spokesman Mike Lee said. “Staff are working to provide the required, historical documents in a timely manner.”
The claim said Robertson was a teacher and sports coach. “Robertson was authorized by the school district to spend time in isolation with the plaintiff such that the abuse is closely and materially related to Robertson’s authorized duties as an employee of the school district,” the claim said. “The school district is vicariously liable for Robertson’s tortious conduct.”
Named as defendants in the claim, filed by lawyer Sandra Kovacs, are Robertson, the Board of Education of School District No. 40 New Westminster, Heather Cranston, Joan Elizabeth MacDonald, Murlin K. Beltain (a.k.a. Merle Bottar) and John Doe, a janitor.
The claim alleges Robertson engaged in “grooming designed to erode the plaintiff’s boundaries and ensure her loyalty.”
It asserts Robertson told the girl she loved her, shared a sleeping bag with her, provided alcohol, showed her pornographic magazines, gained the trust of her parents, and other allegations.
It alleges Robertson sexually battered the girl by hugging her, kissing her and putting her tongue in the girl’s mouth, laying on top of her and massaging her while naked, among other allegations.
The claim said Robertson was found guilty in March 1993 of gross indecency related to the situation and sentenced to four months in jail.
The claim asserts Cranston, a teacher and coach, permitted Robertson to share a sleeping bag with the girl at her home. Further, it claims, Cranston failed to report being told by another student that she had seen Robertson allegedly kissing the girl at a sleepover at Cranston’s home.
The claim said that, in the gross indecency ruling, the judge found that Cranston was very likely told of the incident by the other student and did nothing about it.
The claim asserts MacDonald and Beltain were negligent in failing to protect the girl.
It alleges the John Doe walked in on alleged sexual contact between the two and failed to report it.
The claim asserts the school district breached its duties to the girl and was negligent.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
N.W.S.S.B. is claiming multiple injuries and is seeking non-pecuniary and aggravated damages, loss of past and future learning capacity, special damages, health-care costs and the costs of the legal action.
Glacier Media could not locate Robertson for comment.
