A California jury recently awarded $4.3 million to a former Los Angeles high school teacher who was sexually harassed by students. Beginning in March 2000, several students at Palisades High School began printing sexually offensive stories about Janis Adams, an English teacher, in a campus underground newspaper. In one issue, Adams' face was superimposed on a pornographic image.

The teacher filed suit against the Los Angeles Unified School District claiming that the high school was responsible for stopping publication of the offensive material, which Adams said caused her emotional distress. She alleged officials at Palisades were made aware of the newspaper but failed to take the proper steps to ensure the harassment ceased. As a result, Adams went on leave and has not returned to teaching.