Lawsuit: School district failed to respond to abuse

Lawsuit: School district failed to respond to abuse
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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A lawsuit filed by a former student against a suburban Milwaukee school district claims it did nothing to stop sexual abuse by a renowned math teacher more than three decades ago.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday by Mark Bonchek says the Nicolet School District knowingly disregarded his calls for help. Bonchek, a Nicolet High School 1982 valedictorian, says teacher David Johnson repeatedly sexually assaulted him in the name of "research."

Bonchek, who went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard, says he still has psychological damage from the abuse. The 81-year-old Johnson committed suicide at his retirement home in Waupaca last year, just days after the district told alumni he had molested at least two boys. Ten more former students came forward in the following weeks to say they were also assaulted.

The following statement by Nicolet Superintendent Dr. Robert Koblyski was provided to CBS 58:

"Over the past several years, the Nicolet School District has conducted a thorough and deliberate investigation into a former Nicolet teacher accused of abusing students several decades ago. This includes reaching out to former students who may have been victimized by this teacher to offer the proper acknowledgement, apology and healing health resources owed to these victims.

The current administration remains committed to doing everything possible to provide transparency and allow for healing for the victims.

As the District is now a named defendant in litigation filed by one of the victims, we cannot provide any comments about specific claims made in the lawsuit."

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