Lawsuit: Heath board coerced student to remain silent

HEATH – A lawsuit filed Monday alleges the Heath City Schools Board of Education intentionally coerced a former student into covering up allegations of sexual conduct that later landed a counselor behind bars.

The family of the victim alleges in the lawsuit that the board “willfully, intentionally and maliciously harassed and coerced (the) Student to prevent him from reporting the acts of sexual conduct” against Mackenzie Land Matthews, a counselor at the school until October.

The lawsuit names the district, its board of education and Mackenzie Land Matthews as defendants and seeks more than $25,000 in damages.

Matthews was sentenced to two years in prison in January after pleading guilty to sexual battery, a third-degree felony. Despite the victim being 18 and a senior at the school at the time of the conduct — between February and March 2010 — Matthews was convicted because she was a teacher or educator and the victim was a student.

According to the lawsuit, the district, including teachers and administrators, had knowledge of Matthews’ behavior toward the student in 2010 but did nothing to stop it.

Matthews was employed with the district until October 2014, when she was put on paid leave. Charges were filed against her in November 2014.

The lawsuit alleges the district committed child abuse and failed to report child abuse as required under Ohio law and intentionally inflicted emotional distress on the victim.

It also claims the district failed to adequately supervise its employees and did not take actions to prevent injury to students like the victim.

The attorney for the victim’s family did not return calls seeking comment.

Heath Superintendent Trevor Thomas said the district had not yet received a copy of the lawsuit as of Tuesday afternoon and the district had no comment.