Three women have initiated legal action against Baltimore’s public school system, alleging they experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a special education teacher several decades ago. The lawsuits claim that school administrators failed to shield students from the teacher’s predatory actions.
One of the victims, as stated in the complaint, was just 14 when she alleges she was raped and impregnated by Alvin Hunt, the teacher named in the lawsuit.
During a news conference held on Monday morning, the women’s lawyers argued that school officials were aware of the abuse yet allowed it to persist. Hunt reportedly used the guise of after-school tutoring to lure students to his residence. These alleged incidents occurred during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Sherry Christian, a spokesperson for Baltimore City Public Schools, confirmed that Hunt was employed by the district from 1975 until his retirement in 2005. He later returned as a substitute teacher between 2010 and 2019.
“Due to the ongoing legal proceedings and out of respect for the privacy and rights of all individuals involved, especially our students, we are unable to comment further,” Christian stated. Attempts to reach Hunt for comment have been unsuccessful.
These lawsuits are among many recent child sexual abuse claims in Maryland following the state’s removal of the statute of limitations for such cases. The Child Victims Act was passed in 2023, initially aimed at abuses within the Catholic Church, but its effects have extended beyond religious bodies. The state’s juvenile justice system, in particular, has been facing significant scrutiny as thousands of victims have come forward.
Pamela Coleman, one of the plaintiffs, alleges that she was raped by Hunt, who then drugged her, leading to the birth of her daughter. According to her complaint, Hunt offered her a ride home and gave her a cigarette laced with an illicit substance, causing her to lose consciousness.
“My childhood and teen years were just ripped from me,” Coleman expressed at the news conference. After reporting the abuse, her mother got her transferred to a different school following her pregnancy.
According to legal practices, abuse victims’ identities are protected unless they choose to be disclosed. The attorneys confirmed that Hunt, who also held a sports coaching role, faced neither prosecution nor accountability for his alleged actions. Instead, he enjoyed a lengthy career before retirement. Importantly, Hunt is not listed as a defendant in the lawsuits, which target the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners.
“This abuse was not just known, it was normalized,” remarked Janai Woodhouse, an attorney with the Baltimore firm Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. “This wasn’t hidden. It was tolerated.”
Woodhouse emphasized that the Child Victims Act enables survivors to come forward, even after decades, which was previously restricted once victims turned 38.
The attorneys stressed that the three plaintiffs were young and susceptible when they were victimized by someone they trusted.
“You can imagine the amount of psychological trauma that was inflicted here. So it took some time,” Woodhouse noted. “But they gathered the courage to come to us, and they’re ready to seek justice now.”
One of the lawsuits filed on behalf of Collette Lee describes an encounter where she went to Hunt’s home for tutoring alongside another special education student. Hunt allegedly cornered her and attempted an assault, which she managed to evade.
“I was able to run,” Lee said during the conference. “I’ve been running for a long time. I’m tired. I want justice.”
These legal complaints were lodged in a state court on Friday, with the plaintiffs pursuing punitive damages.