Mountain View Whisman Settles Decades-Old Abuse Lawsuit for $5M

The Mountain View Whisman School District board of trustees voted unanimously to approve a $5 million settlement with two former students who alleged they were abused by a middle school teacher in the 1970s. The settlement avoids a civil trial that had been scheduled to begin this month.

The lawsuit was filed under California's Child Victims Act, which created a temporary legal window allowing individuals to bring claims regarding historical abuse despite standard statutes of limitations. The allegations centered on former Graham Middle School teacher Nathaniel McCray.

District officials noted that the settlement allows the school system to acknowledge past claims while focusing resources on current operations and student programs.