LOS ANGELES, March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Burbank Unified High School is being named in a civil complaint alleging that the school failed to ensure the safety of students during its annual Music Showcase, resulting in the sexual assault of a student. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by attorneys at Slater Slater Schulman LLP, a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events.
As detailed in the complaint, the plaintiff was a 16-year-old student at The John Burroughs (“Burroughs”) High School in the school’s nationally acclaimed Vocal Music Association. The school’s choir program is internationally known and has been featured on America’s Got Talent, Dancing with the Stars, The Voice and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Its choirs also perform at many public and private events in Hollywood, greater Los Angeles and beyond.
Burroughs High School and the Burbank Unified School District host the annual John Burroughs Music Showcase, a two-day show choir competition at which more than 40 choir groups perform. During the 2021/2022 school year, the showcase took place on Friday, April 8th and Saturday, April 9th.
The complaint alleges that after the first day of the showcase concluded at approximately midnight, school administrators, teachers, and staff left campus while students were still present without adult supervision. While the plaintiff was waiting to be picked up, a male student at the high school who was also in the choir sexually assaulted her on school grounds. After the assault was reported, the school district engaged in a perfunctory investigation. As the complaint states, “Rather than seeking to ascertain the truth about what happened, Burbank USD engaged in a campaign of disputing plaintiff’s allegations so that it could protect itself and the widely acclaimed VMA choir programs. This has only served to cause plaintiff more harm and further injury.”
“The idea that administrators and staff would leave students unsupervised on school grounds in the middle of the night following a school-sanctioned event is incomprehensible,” said Adam Slater, Founding and Managing Partner of Slater Slater Schulman LLP. “To make matters worse, once the sexual assault was reported to school officials, they conducted a sham investigation. The physical and emotional trauma brought on by this assault and the ensuing investigation is something that no child should have to endure,” said James W. Lewis, partner at Slater Slater Schulman.
NOTE: Individuals seeking to be linked to resources for sexual assault survivors can call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) provides confidential support from trained staff members and can assist with finding local healthcare resources, help talk through what happened, and offer referrals for long-term support.
About Slater Slater Schulman LLP
Slater Slater Schulman LLP is a leading, full-service law firm with decades of experience representing survivors of traumatic and catastrophic events. Our dedicated attorneys are committed to ensuring the best results for our clients through persistence and compassionate representation. With 10 offices in 9 states, Slater Slater Schulman has achieved successful resolutions in some of the most challenging cases in the nation. We have considerable experience with complex, historical sexual abuse cases involving massive institutions, including academic, religious, and youth organizations. Our firm also represents clients in litigation involving pharmaceutical drugs, product liability, environmental law, employment and labor law, medical malpractice, and personal injury, and has proudly represented thousands of World Trade Center survivors. Learn more at sssfirm.com.
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SOURCE Slater Slater Schulman LLP
