Kent School District Sexual Abuse

Compensation for Victims of Sexual Abuse 

Multiple cases of Kent School District sexual abuse have left parents stunned and students facing a lifetime of trauma. If you or your child has been the victim of inappropriate conduct, our compassionate attorneys can guide you through filing Washington school sexual abuse lawsuits and reclaiming your life. Contact us today for a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation about your legal rights. 

Allegations Against Kent School District

The Kent School District comprises 44 separate institutions, serving children from kindergarten through 12th grade. With over 25,000 students and 1,600 classroom teachers, ensuring the safety of every child requires school officials to remain highly involved. 

Unfortunately, investigations into the district demonstrate that multiple instructors have used their position of authority and trust to abuse minors, raising alarms about whether children are receiving the world-class education promised to parents. Several school sexual abuse lawsuits have already been filed and are pending conclusion. 

Music Teacher Had a History of Sexual Harassment Complaints

Kenney Polson, a jazz saxophonist hired by Lake Youngs Elementary School, was accused of making both students and fellow teachers uncomfortable with his inappropriate remarks. During the 2021-22 school year, he reportedly poked a 12-year-old girl in the student and called her “gorgeous.”

Unfortunately, this was only the most recent incident in a long history of inappropriate contact with teens. After Polson’s conduct with the girl was revealed, the parents researched his history and found that he’d been charged with molesting a 16-year-old girl at a community college in 2000. 

Court documents regarding his arrest were destroyed in 2011 after his charges were expunged. Because the conviction was removed from his record, he failed to report it to the district when he was hired, and it did not appear on his background check.

Polson’s disturbing behavior revealed a fatal flaw in Washington State’s background check system. The district itself uses two national databases, neither of which found these convictions. But Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction also issued him a teaching license despite reports from Portland, Oregon, where he allegedly harassed a female colleague. 

Kent School District agreed to hire him anyway, claiming that because these prior incidents were “adult to adult,” they did not have any bearing on his duties. 

Over 100 concerned members of the public signed a digital petition to have Polson removed from his position and barred from interacting with minors. When this did not get the district’s attention, parents held protests outside of the district headquarters, demanding immediate action. Some messaged the school principal and asked that their kids not be sent to Polson’s music class.

Fellow teachers also complained directly to the district, pointing out that he was not removed from his duties even after the first incident with the 12-year-old. Some first-grade teachers protested by refusing to take their classes out to Polson’s portable unit. 

It was only at the end of the 2022 school year that he was finally relieved of duties. 

Former High School Teacher Charged After Sexual Relationship With a Teen

In May 2025, Steve Bilvais, a former Kentwood High School teacher, pleaded guilty to sending messages of a sexual nature to a 17-year-old girl. This alleged relationship spanned over two years, from October 2017 to June 2019, when officials say he exploited his supervisory position over the woman to force sexual relations. 

The survivor came forward in June 2024 to report having had a sexual relationship with her instructor while underage. They met in 2015, when he was her algebra teacher during her freshman year. For the first two years, their relationship was professional, but things allegedly changed when she became a babysitter for Bilvais’s young daughter.

According to the survivor, he would flirt with her as she tended to his daughter, slowly moving from kissing to sexual intercourse. Their relationship in November 2019.

Bilvais refused to cooperate with the police who attempted to get in contact with him, even when they knocked on his door and left a business card to schedule an interview. A warrant for his arrest was then issued, and he originally pleaded not guilty. The district placed him on administrative leave in August 2024. 

Now that he has been convicted, he cannot have unsupervised contact with any child other than his daughter. He will also have to register as a sex offender and put his address on a public registry. 

Substitute Teacher Sued After Inappropriate Conduct With a Fourth Grader

In 2019, Surinderjit Mauli was charged with fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation. He pleaded not guilty and is no longer working for the district. 

The minor’s parents have now filed a $500,000 lawsuit against the district for failing to protect students from a dangerous individual. The family states that the minor is now in therapy to address her significant trauma around school and education, which will significantly impact her future. 

Elementary School Substitute Molested Kindergartener 

72-year-old John Deveiteo was charged in 2019 for molesting a little girl while serving as a substitute. According to court documents, Deveiteo asked the girl to stay back in the classroom while her peers went to recess. When no one else was present, he made her sit in his lap and watch cartoons while he touched her inappropriately.

The girl told her parents the same day, and Deveiteo was promptly arrested. The district informed the Kent Reporterthat they had performed a background check but refused to disclose further details, such as which other schools Deveiteo had taught at. 

JROTC Program Conductor Sexually Assaulted a Teenage Girl

In June 2022, Joseph A. Byrd, 45, was charged with assaulting a 15-year-old girl. Allegations against Byrd include “inviting” the girl into a portable classroom used as a storage area before raping her. He allegedly disabled the alarm on the room, propped the door open, and followed her inside.

Byrd was an instructor with the Kentwood High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. The girl was not part of this elective but frequented the classroom where the training was held. Byrd allegedly began communicating with her in late April 2022, where he groomed her by encouraging her to share details of her life. They then reportedly had intercourse that day and exchanged sexually charged messages. 

On May 2, Byrd told the student to delete text messages between them after several other students confronted him. He was suspended on May 4, 2022, but district officials declined to state whether he had been fired. Contact between Byrd and the student ceased after he was suspended. 

Who Can Be Held Liable in School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits?

Our trauma-informed attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case to identify all potential defendants. These can include the following.

• Individual Perpetrators: Whether you were assaulted by Joseph A. Byrd, John Deveiteo, or another person, they are typically the first defendant in a lawsuit. 
• Other School Employees and Officials: Educators are mandated reporters and must file complaints if they believe that a child is being mistreated or exploited. If they knew of what occurred but refused to act, they can be liable. 
• Social Workers and Mandated Reporters: If a social worker, therapist, or healthcare professional was aware of what was happening but did not request an investigation, they can be responsible.
• Specific Schools: Kentwood High School, Lake Youngs Elementary School, or any of the other institutions in the district must take concerns seriously, including suspending potential predators or limiting their contact with students.
• School District: Even if a specific school refuses to act, Kent School District must take action to prevent harm, such as filing a report or mandating that a predator be removed from the premises. If they fail to use their supervisory position over schools, then they can be liable. Additionally, they are required to perform thorough background checks on any instructor and can be liable if they do not thoroughly review these results. 
• Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: This office is responsible for issuing teaching licenses and reviewing past complaints, including those from other districts or states. If they fail to review background checks or do not follow up on problems, they can be liable for negligent supervision. 
• Other Educational Institutions: In the case of Kenney Polson, Portland Public Schools fired him for harassing his colleagues, but did not follow up or log these concerns with other databases. As such, they may be vicariously liable for not alerting other institutions about the complaints. 

What Laws Govern School Sexual Misconduct in Washington State?

Any public school that receives federal funding is obligated to follow Title IX, which is meant to eliminate sex-based discrimination (20 U.S.C. §1681; 34 CFR Part 106). They must promptly respond to and prevent harassment or misconduct, including reporting any incidents to the government. 

The state’s statutes define sexual offenses, which include sexual misconduct, rape, and sexual exploitation of a minor (RCW 9A.44). It also explains when a child’s statement can be used in the courtroom for a criminal case, such as if a minor under the age of 10 discloses any sexual contact with an adult (9A.44.128).

It is essential to note that the above statutes pertain to criminal proceedings. Civil cases can be pursued independently of a criminal charge; however, understanding the specific definitions can help ensure a strong civil case. 

In any case of suspected child neglect or maltreatment, mandated reporters such as educators or healthcare professionals are legally obligated to make a report to Child Protective Services for further review (RCW 26.44). The department must then refer the case to local police, which will then refer substantiated reports to the county prosecutor (RCW 26.44.031). 

Child Protective Services will then perform a risk assessment to determine whether the victim is in imminent danger. They will also interview the survivor, typically with the parents’ permission (RCW 26.44.031). 

The legislation also acknowledges that it is the perpetrator, not the victim, who should be removed from the circumstances. As such, the department will seek restraining orders or other protective measures to eliminate contact, rather than placing the child in custody, if at all possible (RCW 26.44.063). 

What Damages Can Sexual Harassment and Abuse Victims Recover?

Our attorneys will fight to ensure that you receive all possible damages from your school sexual abuse claim. These damages can include:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Loss of future income
• Therapy and psychological treatment
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of normal life

How Long Do Survivors Have to Take Legal Action?

Survivors have 3 years after turning 18 or 3 years after they discover their injuries were related to the sexual misconduct, whichever is later (RCW 4.16.340). However, if the incident occurred after 2019, there is no statute of limitations to file a sexual abuse lawsuit in Washington. This is not retroactive and only pertains to claims after 2019. 

The Washington State Supreme Court ruled in Wolf v. State that the statute of limitations may be extended if it can be proven that an institution knew of what occurred but failed to act. 

According to this ruling, if a defendant argues statutory limitations, such as claiming the victim knew of the abuse sooner, the burden of proof lies on them to demonstrate that the victim was aware the injuries were connected to abuse. 

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

The effects of sexual abuse in childhood can last decades, severely impacting a survivor’s future. Our caring attorneys are members of the American Association of Justice (AAJ), renowned for our compassionate approach to these challenging cases.

Many survivors do not disclose what happened until years later, making it difficult to gather strong evidence. However, we are highly skilled at building strong cases using all available resources, such as medical records, school reports, employment records, and school district communications. 

Some perpetrators, like Kenney Polson, had a history of misconduct at other facilities around the country, but the fragmented nature of district records and background check databases allows them to escape accountability. 

We can hunt down information that may have been hidden, omitted from background checks, or otherwise hard to find, showing that the individual consistently behaved inappropriately around students and colleagues. 

Furthermore, survivors often hesitate to share their stories because of the severe discomfort that comes from recounting such painful details. By carefully organizing witness interviews, we empower survivors to share their story while gathering crucial details to support your claim. 

For younger survivors, we will work with expert witnesses who can provide vital context as to the harm of sexual mistreatment and why survivors may struggle to remember concrete details. 

Our Million Dollar Advocates will aggressively pursue maximum compensation, countering their attempts to diminish liability or refuse to pay. 

Many sexual abuse lawsuits settle out of court, sparing the survivor the need to face a judge and jury. However, sometimes the defendants will refuse to negotiate or lowball the survivor. In these instances, we will file a claim with the appropriate court, such as the King County District Court, and prepare you for trial. 

This process includes sharing information with the other parties, attending hearings, and sharing your story in front of a judge and jury. 

We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that our legal fees are deducted from your settlement. Working with us has no upfront expenses. Throughout the process, we will protect your privacy and communicate with third parties on your behalf so that you can focus on healing. 

Book a Free Consultation

The Kent School District has allowed inappropriate behavior between students and teachers across multiple institutions, putting thousands of minors at risk. We fight for survivors’ rights and ensure that justice is served, holding these powerful institutions accountable for their failure to protect the public.

Injury Lawyer Team works on a contingency fee basis: no fees unless you win. Everything you share with our law firm is kept confidential. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation, and private consultation with a law firm that cares about your healing journey