Judge dismisses former student's lawsuit alleging sex abuse at Breck School

A Hennepin County judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the Breck School for a former student who alleged that he was abused by a teacher.

Richard Covin said he was sexually abused by a teacher at Breck School in 1974. Covin claimed the school committed fraud because administrators failed to act on earlier allegations from another student. But Judge William Howard ruled today that the school was under no duty to warn Covin, because Covin did not report his abuse to administrators.

Covin's attorney, Jeff Anderson, said he will ask the judge to reconsider the ruling in order to clarify the order of events.

"I failed to make the court aware that the abuse of Rick Covin was after the report, not before, to the headmaster," Anderson said.

The teacher, William Alan Jacobs, is serving an 18-year prison sentence for criminal sexual conduct and child pornography.

A statement from Breck School says the suit's dismissal is an important step on the path toward healing as a community.

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