School Nurse Awaits Sentencing in Sex Case

The Los Angeles Unified School District is considering a claim by the parents of a 17-year-old student who allegedly was seduced by a high school nurse treating his attention deficit disorder, officials said Wednesday.

The Alexander Hamilton High School nurse, Janet Mukai, 43, is awaiting sentencing after pleading no contest Feb. 27 in West Los Angeles Municipal Court to one count of having unlawful sex with a minor.

The student’s parents, Derek Martin and Lavon Walsh, said Wednesday that their son was “totally disturbed” by the ordeal.

“We had a great relationship before this, but this soured the whole thing,” Martin said.

The parents said they found out about the affair when the boy accidentally left a love letter from the nurse in the pocket of a jacket that he had borrowed from his brother.

Martin said the affair apparently began after the 17-year-old, a senior, started going to the nurse’s office for a daily dose of the drug Ritalin, which is being used to treat his disorder.

The parents said Mukai encouraged the boy to take a nurse’s aide class and then made him her assistant. In the weeks that followed, the youth became introverted and his schoolwork began to suffer, Walsh said.

“We noticed the change,” she said. “He had been a good student, and his grades just dropped.”

“I’m really angry about it,” Martin said. “I just want to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other kids.”

The parents’ attorney, Jeffrey Steinberger, said a criminal complaint against Mukai was filed Dec. 17 with the Police Department. The next day, he said, the parents filed their claim against the school district, alleging that their son was sexually battered Oct. 15 and on at least three other occasions.

The claim seeks unspecified damages to pay for psychological counseling for the boy, Steinberger said. He said the district has referred the claim to Carl Warren and Co., adjusters representing L.A. Unified.

Mukai resigned from her school job shortly after the claim involving her was filed, said Pat Spencer, a district spokesman.

Mukai’s sentencing has been set for April 24.