A lawsuit pertaining to a student who was sexually abused by a teacher at an area school district has been moved to federal court.
Former East Sac County High School special education teacher, 36-year-old Stefanie Kelsey, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last April after pleading guilty to one count of both 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse and Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee. Kelsey was arrested in March of 2022 after being accused of having a sexual relationship with one of her students who was 15-years-old at the time.
After Kelsey was sentenced, the student’s mother sued the East Sac District, as well as former superintendent Jeff Kruse, and former high school principal Kevin Litterer. The lawsuit alleges that the district and the two administrators failed to supervise Kelsey, and did not investigate rumors about her relationship with the student. The lawsuit claims that Kelsey’s classroom had a lock on the door, and that the windows were covered with cardboard and paper. The lawsuit alleges that school officials failed to follow up on the student’s numerous absences from class. The lawsuit also claims that Kelsey pulled the student into her classroom for sex.
The lawsuit is seeking compensation for emotional pain, humiliation, and counseling costs caused by the incident. The lawsuit was moved this week from the Sac County court system to federal.
