RENO — A rural northeast Nevada school district is being sued by victims of an ex-teacher serving 20 years in prison for sexual misconduct with four high school students, including the family of one who says he became so depressed he committed suicide last year.
The lawsuit says Elko County school officials should have acted quicker to protect the students and terminate 41-year-old Tennille Whitaker.
She taught elementary school in Wells for 11 years before she pleaded no contest last April to four counts of sexual conduct between a school employee and a pupil.
The suit filed in federal court in Reno by one of the victims and the estate of another seeks unspecified damages. It says she provided at least one alcohol in exchange for sexual gratification.
District Superintendent Todd Pehrson says they cannot comment on pending litigation.