Theater students in Austin are suing a teacher for allegedly teaching in a “sexually abusive environment.”
The state lawsuit, filed on Friday by three alumni from James Bowie High School, accuses the teacher, Diane Elizabeth “Betsy” Cornwell, of forcing students to engage in sexual acts as part of the theater curriculum.
According to the text of the lawsuit, the students claimed Cornwell forced them to engage in “open-mouth kissing, groping, and simulated sexual intercourse.” The lawsuit alleges that students who did not comply faced retaliation.
Some of the alleged incidents purportedly took place between 2008 and 2014.
According to the lawsuit, “They knew that if they did not do exactly what she told them to do, Cornwell would retaliate against them in a multitude of ways, including refusing to cast them in roles, blacklisting them from leadership positions, and targeting them for increased abuse in front of their peers.”
This is the second lawsuit concerning allegations against Cornwell. A federal lawsuit involving nine plaintiffs was filed against the district last October. The federal suit accuses Cornwell of inappropriate touching, assault, emotional and psychological abuse, and giving drugs to at least one student. The lawsuit claims that the district ignored the abuse the students suffered while involved in the theater program led by Cornwell.
The former students are seeking $1 million in damages as compensation for physical and mental suffering.
One plaintiff said the so-called “intimacy sessions” were akin to sexual assault.
Cornwell has been put on paid administrative leave, and the school district is conducting its own investigation.
Cornwell is a long-time instructor at the school’s theater program, The Starlight Theater Company. A fine arts center was named in her honor, with the school was quoted as saying she “has given so much to students for so many years.”
Despite such praise and popularity, the lawsuit alleges that Cornwell’s actions actions have caused extreme anxiety as well as feelings of anguish, distress, and humiliation among her students.
In one alleged incident, students claimed that they were told to act out scenes where students played Vietnamese sex workers in productions of the show “Miss Saigon,” and they were made to perform lap dances on male classmates.
Other former students have alleged that boys groped girls at Cornwell’s behest.
The Dallas Express attempted to obtain comment from Cornwell and several of the plaintiffs, but no response was received by the time of publication.
