Lawsuit Claims School Staff Ignored Sexual Abuse by N.J. Teacher
A former New Jersey girl sued her high school teacher for sexually assaulting her for years, stating that his school district-employed family knew but did nothing.
A mid-20s victim claims she was abused as a Red Bank Regional High School sophomore in 2015. She alleges English teacher Michael Canning lied and raped her. Canning’s sexual activity while selling booze and marijuana increased between 2015 and 2017, court records show. Some connections were near students or staff.
The lawsuit alleges Canning brought the student home without his wife and told her to hide. The lawsuit claims he had unprotected sexual intercourse with her and used hydrogen peroxide and diluted acetone to prevent pregnancy.
Canning’s school district-employed family found explicit teacher-student communications, court documents show. Although aware of mistreatment, family members did not contact school administration or police enforcement. Their name is on the lawsuit but not charged.
In July 2023, Canning pleaded guilty to third-degree child injury after being arrested for sexual assault in November 2022. He was sentenced to four years at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Avenel, New Jersey, in April 2024 and parole-eligible in January 2027.
The Monmouth County Superior Court action names Canning, two family members, the Red Bank Regional Board of Education, the high school, and others as defendants. The lawsuit accuses the school district and staff “passive abusers” for New Jersey Child Sex Abuse Act violations and passivity.
Torture victim was despondent and suicidal. She reported Canning to authorities after watching his actions with other female pupils. Her counsel claimed it would prevent school failure and protect other kids.
Louis B. Moore, Red Bank Schools superintendent, declined comment due to lawsuit.
The case stresses school administrators’ responsibilities to disclose abuse and its long-term effects on children’s mental health and safety.
Sources:
New Jersey Department of Corrections
Monmouth County Superior Court
