New Allegations of Abuse and Misconduct against Austin ISD Theatre Director
January 16, 2023
What you need to know:
Four more former students at Bowie High School in Austin, Texas, have joined a federal lawsuit against the Austin Independent School District (AISD) and long-time theatre director Diane "Betsy" Cornwell.
The new allegations include claims that Cornwell ignored a sexual assault reported to her by a student in 2017, that she and another teacher made students stop at a liquor store to buy alcohol during a school trip in 2003-04, and that she forced a male student to sit on her lap and tickled and pinched him in 2015-2016.
The former students are suing the school district for failure to provide a safe environment for students and for failing to take action in response to reports of abuse.
AISD has filed motions to dismiss the case and has stated that they take the matter very seriously but cannot comment on an open investigation or personnel matters.
Cornwell, who has been on paid administrative leave since last summer and has been an AISD employee for over 40 years, has yet to file an answer to the lawsuit. She has declined requests for an interview but stated through an email that she has many supporters.
Austin ISD Teacher Faces Federal Lawsuit over Allegations of Abuse and Misconduct
AUSTIN, Texas — Four more former students at Bowie High School have joined a federal lawsuit against the Austin Independent School District (AISD) and long-time theatre director Diane "Betsy" Cornwell. The new allegations include claims that Cornwell ignored a sexual assault reported to her by a student in 2017, that she and another teacher made students stop at a liquor store to buy alcohol during a school trip in 2003-04, and that she forced a male student to sit on her lap and tickled and pinched him in 2015-2016.
These new allegations, along with similar claims made by a group of five former students in September, paint a disturbing picture of a theatre director who created an unsafe and toxic environment for students. The former students, represented by attorney Jennifer Despins, are suing the school district for failure to provide a safe environment for students and for failing to take action in response to reports of abuse.
AISD has filed motions to dismiss the case and has stated that they take the matter very seriously but cannot comment on an open investigation or personnel matters. Cornwell, who has been on paid administrative leave since last summer and has been an AISD employee for over 40 years, has yet to file an answer to the lawsuit. She has declined requests for an interview but stated through an email that she has many supporters.
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