Ex-Phillips Academy Student Sues Former Teacher Over Alleged Fondling.

BOSTON — Marie Sapienza, a former N.H. state representative, has filed a federal lawsuit against a former teacher at Phillips Academy in Andover alleging the teacher fondled her when she was a student at the private school 35 years ago.

The Marie Sapienza, of Hampstead, N.H., is seeking $20 million in damages in federal lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court by Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian.

Sapienza, now an attorney, she was 15 at the time of the alleged abuse, in 1982, according to the court documents. Former Phillips Academy teacher Alexander Theroux touched her in a sexual way, the lawsuit alleges. Theroux has been linked to sexual abuse allegations involving other former Phillips students, according to reports.

Sapienza was acommuter student at the time, and was visiting the English teacher in his on-campus residence with a friend at the time of the abuse, she told theEagle-Tribune.. She noted that the abuse happened only once but it led to her leaving the school during during her senior year after being "frightened, uncomfortable, and unable to stay," she said.

Garabedian has asked the school for a full investigation of the alleged incident.

When Sapienza says that when she reported the alleged incident to school officials, they tried to cover it up, Sapienza said. She also claimed she knew of an older friend who was abused similarly, which she also told school officials about.

Theroux no longer works at the school.

Sapienza was a four-term New Hampshire state representative.

Courtesy photo of Marie Sapienza via Facebook.