MOREHEAD, Ky. (LEX 18) — A lawsuit has been filed against Rowan County School Board, teacher, principal, and superintendent on behalf of a female high school student athlete who was allegedly sexually abused by a former Rowan County basketball coach.
39-year-old Andrew Zaheri is charged with third-degree rape. He was indicted on 23 felony counts in connection to his alleged abuse of the victim.
Attorneys for the victim claim Principal Mann and Superintendent Maxey did not conduct an investigation when presented with "repeated reports from concerned citizens" about what was happening. The attorneys allege they swept concerns "under the rug time and time again—all while the abuse continued."
In the lawsuit, the attorneys say Zaheri was given a score of "Excellent" in 18 of 22 categories in a December 2022 evaluation."
The fact that Principal Mann, after receiving these reports, went on to praise Zaheri and score him as 'excellent' in his teacher evaluation speaks volumes about lengths to which he was willing to go to protect his friend with whom he coached for many years," said the attorneys in a statement.
The lawsuit seeks damages for the harm caused to the victim. It also calls for punitive damages to deter similar conduct in the future.
"We are committed to holding accountable not only the teachers and coaches that prey on young students and players, but also those administrators who are responsible for protecting our children and instead turn a blind eye when confronted with this abuse," the victim's attorneys said in a statement. "While the evidence will likely shock and appall parents and members of the community, this case will hopefully deter this type of abuse from occurring again within the district."
