In Harassment Suits, a New Era Emerges

A small but growing number of lawsuits around the country are seeking to hold school districts responsible for the sexual harassment of students by their classmates.

Most of the cases contend that school officials ignored or shrugged off repeated complaints from students or their parents about inappropriate sexual behavior by other students.

The U.S. Department of Education recently warned districts that they must take stronger steps to combat so-called peer harassment, and a similar message is emerging...