Puyallup School Pays To Settle Over Abusive Teacher Claim: Report

PUYALLUP, WA — The Puyallup School District has paid $7.75 million to settle claims that former Kalles Junior High teacher Tim Paulsen abused seven boys while working at the district, according to a new report from the Seattle Times.

As the Times reports, the suit claims that Paulsen, who worked as a teacher and coach for the school, would take his victims on trips, take them over for sleepovers, would shower with them after exercise, and physically molested them.

All seven former students, now adults aged 30 to 41, came forward after seeing a report on KIRO 7 back in 2019, in which the Puyallup School District paid $1.6 million to settle a pair of sexual misconduct claims against Paulsen — making this new $7.75 million settlement the second the district has paid over the former teacher.

According to KIRO 7's reporting, victims say Paulsens abuse was an open secret at the district, but that no one in power took action to protect them.

“What’s really important about this case, the red flags were a mile long, and nobody did anything,” said lawyer Julie Kays, who represented the plaintiffs in both lawsuits.

The Puyallup School District has not issued a statement on the latest settlement.

>> Read the full report from the Seattle Times.