| Cheyenne School Sued for $12 Million in Negligent Hiring Case CHEYENNE - A lawsuit claims Laramie County School District 1 was negligent during and after its hiring of a teacher-coach later convicted of sexually assaulting a student. Among the suit's allegations are that school officials did not properly investigate reports of inappropriate conduct by Robert Hodges, who was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison on third-degree sexual assault charges. The lawsuit, filed by the victim and her parents, says Hodges was unfit to be a teacher but that LCSD1 failed to investigate his background before hiring him. By "its inattention and indifference," the school district "authorized approved, adopted, condoned, ratified and endorsed the sexual misconduct of its teacher," the lawsuit said. The 11-page complaint doesn't specify monetary damages, but a governmental claim filed earlier with the school district seeks $12 million in damages. Trustees denied that claim. |
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