Alumni claim they were subjected to dehumanization and trauma including forced simulated sex by their teacher while in the performing arts program at James Bowie High School. They have filed lawsuits. Photo James Bowie High School.

Just when you didn’t think the public school environment could get any more bizarre, unacceptable, dangerous or worse, it happens again. This time it is a little further away from our home base, but is it really? Here’s the story:

An Austin teacher is being sued for allegedly forcing students to engage in simulated sex for her. Students say that the teacher subjected them to “emotional and verbal abuse and inappropriately touched students.”

Three James Bowie High School alumni are suing their former teacher and the Austin Independent School District for creating a “sexually abusive environment” according to a report by Texas Scorecard News. The former students filed the lawsuit January 20 this year following a similar federal lawsuit they filed last September.

The alumni filed suit following an announcement by Austin ISD of their decision to name the James Bowie HS Fine Arts theater after long time teacher Diane “Betsy” Cornwell. Cornwell had directed the school’s fine arts program, the Starlight Theater Company, for over 30 years.

The alumni allege that Cornwell called them into “rehearsals”, many behind closed and locked doors, to “simulate sex” according to the lawsuit. Texas Scorecard reported that “Cornwell would force the minor students to engage in open-mouth kissing, groping, and simulated sexual intercourse in order to ‘convince her’ that they sexually desired each other.”

Texas Scorecard stated, “Some of the alumni detailed specific instances where Cornwell was distinctly “aroused” during their rehearsals. As the students groped and kissed each other, Cornwell would cheer them on, encouraging them to “increase their level of passion” and make it look “more realistic.””

The former students told of “private romance rehearsals that involved groping above and beneath clothing”.

Houston television station KHOU reported that experts say the students were subjected to practices that “should never happen in a youth drama class.”

KHOU reported the emotional impact on several of the students as: “I felt a lot of shame,” 25-year-old Dana Havlin said. “It made me feel small,” 27-year-old Andie Haddad said. “Looking back, it almost feels like we were not humans to her,” 28-year-old Sarah Andrews said. Students deserve a place to feel safe,” 26-year-old Walden Hagelman said.

Each of the former students said they were “traumatized” by Cornwell’s teaching methods.

Former student Havlin said “I was hospitalized for suicidal ideation. And I truly believe that that would not have happened if I hadn’t been in this extracurricular activity, in the company, the theater company.”

When the alumni heard that the new Bowie performing arts center would be named for Cornwell it was more than they could accept. Thus, they came together and decided to sue the teacher and school district.

Andrews said, “That didn’t sit well with me.” The others agreed. “It was very shocking,” said Havlin. Hagelman added “It was very disappointing.”

“The name on the building [was] just… too much for me,” Haddad said. “I don’t want what happened to me to happen to any other children,” said Havlin.

A tragic event in any school, but is it isolated? Many schools in every state have performing arts programs. This behavior should not ever happen to any student, anywhere. It is incumbent upon parents, students and other responsible adults to be aware of and report inappropriate behavior in schools to principals, school board’s, and police.

Michael Reed is Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online. TheStandardSC video media channel is being censored by dominant social media groups like YouTube. YouTube, owed by Alphabet (Google), removed and destroyed all of our video work without permission or remuneration. That has stopped all potential donations from our many supporters on that venue. If you want to continue to see independent thought and reports please “like”, comment, share with a friend, and donate to support The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.