Student Claims Teacher, Ex-Cop, Raped Her

ABERDEEN, Miss. (CN) - A Mississippi school district hired a former sheriff's deputy to teach a public safety class, and he stripped a girl and "raped her on the floor of the classroom" while armed with a gun, the girl claims in Federal Court.

Jane Doe sued the Monroe County School District, its superintendent, a school principal, and her alleged rapist, Brian K. Flanner.

Flanner resigned as a deputy sheriff for Monroe County in July 2012 and the school district hired him for the 2012-13 school year, Doe says in the lawsuit. He taught a course in law and public safety at the Monroe County Advanced Learning Center.

Defendant Flanner regularly taught class while carrying a loaded automatic handgun and other weapons in open view on a tactical belt in direct violation of state statutes prohibiting the possession of weapons on educational property," according to the complaint. "School district officials knew of Flanner's practice, but were willfully indifferent to Flanner's unlawful behavior. They took no steps whatsoever to address his criminal acts, to remove Flanner from the school, or to report his unlawful behavior to law enforcement, all of which were required by Mississippi law."

Doe was a student in the school district and signed up for the class. She claims Flanner told her she needed "to attend a review session after school" to prepare for an exam, so she did.

No one else showed up, Doe says. "After a short time, Flanner, wearing his combat pistol and tactical belt as was typical, locked the classroom door, approached student Doe, and instructed her to remove her clothes," the complaint states. "When she refused, he threatened her, warned her against resisting or calling out for help, forcibly pulled off her clothing, and raped her on the floor of the classroom. During the entire attack, Flanner never removed his weapons belt and firearm.

"Because Flanner was armed, student Doe was unable to defend herself, resist the assault, or call for help for fear that she would be injured or killed by Flanner."

Flanner is awaiting trial for sexual assault, Doe says in the lawsuit.

She seeks punitive damages for violations of the Constitution and civil rights, pain and suffering, failure to supervise, state-created danger, negligence and gross negligence.

She is represented by W. Lawrence Deas with Deas & Deas, of Tupelo.

Defendants include Superintendent Scott Cantrell, and Learning Center principal Billy Loague.

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