A hearing scheduled for Dec. 31 at the Henry County Courthouse could determine whether a lawsuit against a Keokuk teacher and the New London School District proceeds.
The lawsuit was filed in March by a woman identified, publically, as “Jane Doe.”
Doe alleges that as a student in the New London School District, she was abused both physically and sexually by Gina Sisk, who was an 8th grade science teacher and a coach at the time.
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Doe says she met Sisk during a basketball camp in 1998 and the abuse started during an out-of-town athletic event in 2000 when she was 14-years-old.
The lawsuit alleges the abuse continued until Jane Doe joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 2004.
Gina Sisk and the New London School District face a total of ten counts, between them, in the civil lawsuit, including Assault and Battery, Negligence, and Violating the Iowa Constitution.
The December 31 hearing will focus on requests by the school district and Sisk to have the judge rule on the lawsuit before it goes to trial.
They cite the length of time between the alleged abuse and the lawsuit being filed as the primary reason the judge should rule in their favor.
Sisk is currently a teacher and a coach with the Keokuk School District.
Superintendent Tim Hood says the district is aware of the claims.
“The claims are related to a time before Sisk was employed by Keokuk,” says Hood, “Sisk is currently on administrative leave pending our own investigation into the claims. We have not made any final conclusions yet regarding the claims.”
Court documents mention a possible trial date in 2014 due to scheduling conflicts.