LEFLORE COUNTY, Okla. –
A LeFlore County jury has ordered Pocola Public Schools and its former superintendent to pay a student a total of $7.2 million in a case involving reports of sexual abuse.
According to court documents, the student reported the abuse to a school staff member during the 2020-21 school year but was sent home, where the student was sexually abused by Eric Taylor.
Taylor was sentenced to prison in 2022 for rape and procuring juvenile pornography.
Court documents state that school personnel reported the case to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services hotline but did not contact law enforcement.
The jury found former superintendent Jason Brittain acted in bad faith and outside the scope of his employment.
The jury ordered Brittain and Pocola Public Schools to each pay the student $3.6 million, bringing the total award to $7.2 million.
News On 6 has reached out to Pocola Public Schools for comment but has not yet received a response.
