Family Sues School System Following Sexual Abuse Case

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — The family of a Prince George's County student has sued the county school system, saying it failed to conduct a proper background check on a teaching assistant who was later convicted of sexually abusing a student.

News outlets report that the family filed a lawsuit April 5, arguing that the school system failed to do a thorough background check on 33-year-old Jason Jamar Howard.

Howard had been charged with assault and sexual offenses in 2002. Those charges were eventually dropped. He pleaded guilty and was convicted of abusing the Prince George's County student in 2013. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

A lawyer for the school system denied the allegations.

The lawsuit comes as the school system deals with a child pornography scandal involving a volunteer teaching assistant.

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