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Lanigan Rejects FCPS' Settlement Offer for Defending Himself Against False Accusation
South Lakes teacher now suing board for full coverage of more than $100K in legal fees.
It has been an excruciating year and half for South Lakes High School physical education teacher Sean Lanigan.
Lanigan was acquitted in 2010 of molesting a sixth-grade student at Centreville's Centre Ridge Elementary School after it later was found out the girl fabricated the story. He has tried for more than a year to have his legal fees of more than $100,000 reimbursed. The Fairfax County School Board declined, offering only $60,000 with the condition that Lanigan not sue any school officials.
Lanigan rejected the partial offer and filed suit on Friday asking that the school board pay the enture $107,838, with no strings attached, writes Tom Jackman in The Washington Post's State of NoVa blog.
The school board reimbursed Lanigan for the salary he lost while he was suspended after his January 2010 arrest. He was reassigned to South Lakes at the start of the 2010-11 school year.
Lanigan told The Post earlier this year that his arrest, incarceration, removal from Centre Ridge and trial imposed needless suffering based on an incomplete investigation of the girls’ allegations. He has not filed any legal action based on that aspect of the case.
Lanigan coaches boys soccer at Herndon High School was The Post's 2011 Coach of the Year.
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Carole Burnett
7:00 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I watched this nightmare from time to time. Give the man his legal fees and all due to him. Make him whole financially. He has suffered ENOUGH!
Sidney K.
9:26 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
SHAME on FCPS...this man is innocent and they won't pay his legal fees??? I really hope he sues this girls family as well for giving him a bad rep that can ruin his career!!! That would have been the end of it all to be considered a pedophile.....Give this man his dignity back and pay the fees so he put his life back together....Prayers to Mr. Sean Lanigan and his family.....
Laurie Dodd
9:22 am on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A good teacher has been put through the ringer. Reimbursing his legal fees is the least FCPS can do for him. I hope Sean Lanigan knows that the community supports him!
RG
9:26 am on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
FCPS bunch of usless people doing absolutely NOTHING! GIVE HIM HIS MONEY!
Oh and that girl needs MAJOR PUNISHMENT!
RG
9:28 am on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
I also sure there is a person behind FPCS who makes these desisions...
Any FCPS insiders could maybe anonymously share names and stories?
Private Person
12:59 pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
It's terribly shameful that the county and its school board are abusing their power in this way, but it's not the first time it's happened recently.
I do commend Mr. Lanigan for his will and for sending a message to all, that caving into a (corrupted) government entity, despite the financial and other costs, is not the way forward.
I do hope to have the pleasure and honor of meeting this man and I sincerely hope that his lessons are broadcast wide and far. He may teach physical education, but his message in civics and government are profound
Absolute shame on the Fairfax County school board and just as much shame on the Board of Supervisors, and Hudgins in particular, for tolerating this abuse and pathetic behavior.
Dick Sziede
2:55 pm on Thursday, September 1, 2011
I hope I am on the jury. What is the maximum punitive damage we can award?