Teacher Sues School District in Student Newspaper Case

A Pacific Palisades high school teacher who was falsely described as a porn star in a student publication filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Janis Adams, who did not return to Pacific Palisades Charter High School after students circulated the newspaper on the campus last spring, alleges in the suit that the district failed to protect her from sexual harassment by students.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for sexual harassment, defamation and emotional distress.

District officials had no comment, saying they had not seen the lawsuit.

Many of the articles in the unsanctioned student newspaper dealt with sex and others targeted unpopular teachers.

At a news conference Thursday with attorney Gloria Allred Adams said the “thin chalk line” between student and teacher is disintegrating.

“I love teaching, yet today I am afraid to teach because of the rising tide of violence, both real and threatened, directed against teachers by their students,” said Adams, who is on disability leave.

Adams said 10 issues were distributed on campus over a three-month period, and “district officials seemed powerless to stop it.”

In March, district officials banned the newspaper and suspended 11 students.