Suit alleges kindergarten teacher did not stop sexual abuse

TACOMA, Wash. -- A lawsuit alleges a Washington kindergarten teacher, elementary school principal and the school district failed to prevent sexual abuse among students.

The News Tribune reports the lawsuit says a 5-year-old kindergartener was sexually abused by a classmate at Grant Elementary School in 2014.

Tacoma Public Schools spokesman Dan Voelpel says the district has no comment on the litigation, which was filed April 3 in Pierce County Superior Court.

The teacher, Sandra Holmes, was fired after the alleged incident. Holmes has denied wrongdoing, and argued in U.S. District Court that she was wrongfully terminated. A judge dismissed her complaint, and she has appealed that decision.

Holmes believes the allegations that led to her termination largely were based on the fact that she is black.