A.M.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Appellant was a second grade student at an elementary school in Ventura. Between September 2012 and April 2013, appellant allegedly was bullied, battered and sexually abused by some of her fellow students. A.R., a male student, hit and kicked her, touched her private parts, pinched her buttocks, hugged her and pressed himself against her. Another student exposed himself to appellant and rubbed his private parts on her. On one occasion, appellant was knocked unconscious. D.G. reported the abuse to various District employees, including appellant’s teacher (Fields) and the school’s principal (Tapia). When D.G. attempted to see the superintendant, she was referred to another District employee, who referred her back to Tapia. According to D.G., the District did nothing to stop the attacks on appellant. Fields told D.G. that “[she needs] to fix things on [her] own,” and Tapia suggested that she move appellant to another school. As a result of the bullying and attacks, appellant was afraid to go to school or to play outside with her friends. In April 2013, D.G. began homeschooling appellant. In June 2013, appellant presented a tort claim to the County of…