White Cloud schools sued over abuse case

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The family of a White Cloud High School student who was sexually abused by a teacher is suing, alleging the school district and employees failed to take the appropriate action to prevent it.

The lawsuit filed in federal court Monday names former teacher George Lambright, White Cloud Public Schools, the superintendent, the high school principal, the school resource officer and a classroom aide as defendants.

“Defendants and other District employees knew and/or recklessly ignored obvious signs, red flags, and evidence of sexual abuse and/or highlight inappropriate conduct by defendant Lambright,” the suit alleges.

The 56-page court filing listed a number of those “red flags,” including inappropriate conversations and contact that it alleges happened in the classroom. It also says the abuse, dating back to 2022, included instances in the school building and off campus during school hours.

The suit claims the defendants violated the student’s Title IX, Fourth and 14th Amendment rights, and rights under the Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, among other laws. It alleges the district didn’t properly train its employees to identify the risk of abuse and that defendants failed to properly report or stop the abuse.

The suit seeks more than $1 million.

Lambright, 62, previously pleaded no contest to a count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student and was sentenced in June to between 2 years, 8 months and 15 years in prison. Online records show he’s being held in a state prison in St. Louis, Michigan.

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