First damages claim
filed in Babcock case
MARYSVILLE 6/13/02 (YSN) -- Parents of "Z L, a minor" have filed the first of what may be several claims against Marysville Joint Unified School District relating to alleged sexual abuse of students by school psychologist William W. Babcock.
The claim alleges Babcock, a licensed counselor at Walter Kynoch Elementary School, "engaged in sexually explicit conduct with ZL over the last several years," leaving the minor "severely emotionally damaged."
School authorities ignored earlier complaints of alleged sexual misconduct by Babcock, the claim further alleges.
"Despite such warnings and complaints the (district) allowed him to be alone with young male students in a room which had the window to the hall blacked out so that his actions could not be observed," the claim stated.
The room had been altered to make the lighting dimmer and "the only additional door to the room locked from the inside," the claim stated.
The claim, which was filed May 30, seeks "damages according to proof."
District superintendent Marc Liebman said Thursday he was confident school officials responded properly and adequately. District trustees will likely deny the claim when they meet Tuesday, Liebman said.
Moreover, the district plans to hire an outside consultant to review its policies and procedures for handling complaints in cases such as this, Liebman said.
Babcock, 54, had been the school counselor at Kynoch for about eight years when he was arrested in April on suspicion of inappropriately touching four 8- to 10-year-old boys who had come to him for advice.
Babcock pleaded innocent to all charges. A preliminary hearing has been set for July 26. He remains in custody in lieu of $400,000 bond.
After a heavily-publicized meeting of angry parents and a rash of media stories about Babcock's arrest, a Yuba County judge imposed a gag order, which lawyers and police now say forbids them to comment on the matter..
However, this much more is known: the investigation has widened. Officials confirmed Thursday that the district has provided case investigators a list of students Babcock may have counseled in the past.
filed in Babcock case
MARYSVILLE 6/13/02 (YSN) -- Parents of "Z L, a minor" have filed the first of what may be several claims against Marysville Joint Unified School District relating to alleged sexual abuse of students by school psychologist William W. Babcock.
The claim alleges Babcock, a licensed counselor at Walter Kynoch Elementary School, "engaged in sexually explicit conduct with ZL over the last several years," leaving the minor "severely emotionally damaged."
School authorities ignored earlier complaints of alleged sexual misconduct by Babcock, the claim further alleges.
"Despite such warnings and complaints the (district) allowed him to be alone with young male students in a room which had the window to the hall blacked out so that his actions could not be observed," the claim stated.
The room had been altered to make the lighting dimmer and "the only additional door to the room locked from the inside," the claim stated.
The claim, which was filed May 30, seeks "damages according to proof."
District superintendent Marc Liebman said Thursday he was confident school officials responded properly and adequately. District trustees will likely deny the claim when they meet Tuesday, Liebman said.
Moreover, the district plans to hire an outside consultant to review its policies and procedures for handling complaints in cases such as this, Liebman said.
Babcock, 54, had been the school counselor at Kynoch for about eight years when he was arrested in April on suspicion of inappropriately touching four 8- to 10-year-old boys who had come to him for advice.
Babcock pleaded innocent to all charges. A preliminary hearing has been set for July 26. He remains in custody in lieu of $400,000 bond.
After a heavily-publicized meeting of angry parents and a rash of media stories about Babcock's arrest, a Yuba County judge imposed a gag order, which lawyers and police now say forbids them to comment on the matter..
However, this much more is known: the investigation has widened. Officials confirmed Thursday that the district has provided case investigators a list of students Babcock may have counseled in the past.
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