HARRISBURG, PA — March 30, 2026 — A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Athens Area School District, alleging that the District failed to act on warning signs and protect a student from years of sexual abuse by a district employee.
The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania by attorneys at Andreozzi + Foote, alleges that Jason Lavern Isbell, who was first employed by the district as a tutor and later, a substitute teacher, groomed and sexually abused a minor student over the course of several years.
According to the lawsuit, Isbell was employed by the District as a math tutor during the years 2003-2008. Isbell began tutoring the student in 2003, when the student was in seventh grade while receiving tutoring from Isbell. The complaint alleges that Isbell began grooming the child by manipulating her into believing they were in a romantic relationship before escalating to sexual abuse. The abuse is alleged to have occurred both on school property and in other locations.
The complaint alleges that despite being prohibited from after-hours access, Isbell brought the student into the school after hours, used secrecy and closed doors to avoid detection, and created opportunities for unsupervised contact where sexual abuse occurred on school grounds.
The complaint alleges that during the course of the abuse, school officials were put on notice of Isbell’s inappropriate conduct after he was observed taking the student to a movie, and the incident was reported to the district. The principal at the time allegedly disciplined Isbell but did not remove him from contact with minor students or report him to the authorities. The complaint alleges that the district’s inaction regarding this report showed deliberate indifference to the ongoing risk of sexual abuse.
According to the suit, the victim continued to be abused by Isbell until the age of 17. During this time, Isbell was employed by the District as a long-term substitute social studies teacher at Athens Area High School, giving him increased unsupervised access to the student. It is also alleged that Isbell abused another minor during the 2007/2008 school year.
In 2008, the victim is said to have reported Isbell’s continued abuse to her guidance counselor, who reported the abuse to authorities. Isbell was subsequently charged with multiple sex offenses and later pled guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a person under 16 years of age, four counts of corruption of minors, and five counts of statutory sexual assault. On October 27, 2009, Isbell surrendered his Pennsylvania professional educator certification in lieu of discipline.
He is currently listed on the Pennsylvania Sexual Offender Registry and is required to register for life.
The lawsuit alleges that, prior to this abuse, the district was aware of risks of sexual misconduct by school employees, including prior allegations involving another staff member at the high school.
Civil Lawsuit Alleges Institutional Liability
The lawsuit asserts claims under Title IX and federal civil rights laws, as well as state tort claims for negligence, and reckless hiring and retention. It alleges that the district acted with deliberate indifference and failed to implement appropriate policies, training, and supervision.
The lawsuit alleges the District’s failure to recognize the signs that Isbell was a child sexual predator or to conduct a background check on him. It also alleges that the defendants violated Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law by not immediately reporting the suspected sexual abuse of children to authorities. These failures, the complaint asserts, directly led to the abuse of the victim. As a result of the alleged abuse, the victim reports suffering significant and lasting emotional and psychological harm.
“When those in positions of authority are put on notice of inappropriate conduct and fail to act, they create conditions where abuse can continue unchecked,” Ben Andreozzi, Partner at Andreozzi + Foote, said. “Institutions that ignore warning signs must be held accountable.”
Attorneys encourage anyone who may have experienced similar harm involving Athens Area School District or Jason Lavern Isbell to come forward. Information shared by survivors can play a critical role in identifying patterns, preventing further harm, and holding institutions accountable. Individuals may contact the firm at info@vca.law.
About Andreozzi + Foote
Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse law firms with a history of representing survivors in cases against large and powerful organizations including Penn State University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Catholic Church. The trauma-informed Pennsylvania-based sexual abuse lawyers at Andreozzi + Foote are committed to obtaining life-changing results for victims and their families.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Maria Smith
Andreozzi + Foote
4503 N Front St.
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Email: marias@vca.law
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Athens Area School District, via Facebook. Jason Lavern Isbell, PA Megan’s Law.
