Lawsuit Exposes Allegations of School Employee Pressuring Student for Abortion

A disturbing lawsuit has cast a dark shadow over the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, alleging that a former Northgate High School wellness center employee relentlessly pressured a vulnerable 15-year-old student to undergo an abortion, even driving her to appointments without parental knowledge or consent.

The lawsuit, filed by the student and her parents against the district and former employee Laura Jean Routh, details a profound breach of trust.

Routh, who served as a wellness center employee, was meant to be a supportive adult for the freshman student, who was experiencing a tumultuous home life, abandonment by her boyfriend, and contemplating suicide due to her unexpected pregnancy.

According to court documents, despite the student explicitly stating she did not want an abortion, Routh allegedly engaged in “repeated and insistent pleas” for her to terminate the pregnancy.

The allegations include Routh driving the student off-campus to a Planned Parenthood clinic for an abortion consultation and later for a pre-abortion ultrasound and labs, all while advising the teenager to keep these actions secret from her parents and the baby's father.

The lawsuit states that Routh also delved into discussions about the financial aspects of abortion versus adoption, further pressuring the impressionable student.

This continued until the student, after seeing an ultrasound, finally confided in her father about the unsettling situation. Her father immediately reported Routh’s conduct to the school administration.

Following the report, Routh was placed on administrative leave and subsequently resigned from her position.

The student, meanwhile, chose to continue her pregnancy and later gave birth to a healthy baby boy. She has since transferred to another school, seeking a fresh start away from the traumatic experience.

The family's legal action seeks unspecified damages, citing emotional distress, negligence, battery, and violations of civil rights.

This case raises serious questions about the boundaries and responsibilities of school personnel, especially when interacting with students facing such profound personal decisions. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District has acknowledged Routh's resignation and reaffirmed its commitment to student safety, though it refrains from commenting on ongoing litigation.