A retired Del Norte High School principal has been accused of sexually assaulting a student in a recent lawsuit filed against both him and Del Norte Unified School District

The lawsuit, filed in Del Norte County Superior Court on Oct. 18, 2024 and amended Jan. 6, 2025, alleges that Randy Fugate was a teacher when he began grooming the plaintiff in 1999 in order to sexually exploit her. The complaint also alleges that Del Norte Unified School District was either aware, or should have been aware, of Fugate’s actions and did nothing to prevent them.

The plaintiff is seeking damages against both defendants for negligence — including negligent hiring, supervision and retention, and negligent failure to train, warn or educate — sexual battery and for violating the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act and California Civil Rights Act of 1976.

The plaintiff is also seeking damages against Fugate specifically for sexual harassment and gender violence.

In addition to wanting damages for physical pain and mental anguish, the loss of past and future earnings and earning capacity, medical expenses and punitive damages, the plaintiff is also demanding a jury trial, according to the complaint.

Crescent City attorney George M. Mavris is representing the plaintiff, who is called Jane Doe in the complaint. The plaintiff’s real name has been withheld in the complaint to protect her privacy “as a victim of child sexual abuse, assault and harassment.”

The plaintiff was 15 when she became the Fugate’s student. The lawsuit accuses him of continual sexual abuse from 1999 to 2003 when she graduated.

There are also other defendants who were district employees assigned to either work at Del Norte High or have oversight over Fugate and other DNUSD employees. The plaintiff “is unaware of the true names and capacities” of the defendants, the complaint states. However, the plaintiff will ask the court to change the complaint so the defendants are named.

Mavris could not be reached for comment about the lawsuit. A representative for his office said the attorney doesn’t usually comment via phone about ongoing litigation. An email to Mavris sent Friday has not been responded to as of Monday.

Fugate had been Del Norte High School’s principal up until June 2020 when he assumed the role of principal for the County Office of Education.

Fugate retired from the Del Norte County Office of Education in 2024, spokesman Michael Hawkins told Redwood Voice. Hawkins said Friday that Del Norte Unified School District and the County Office of Education were not ready to make a further statement.

According to the lawsuit, Fugate assumed the guise of a trusted mentor, striking up conversations with the plaintiff about school and making her feel comfortable enough to speak with him alone between classes.

Fugate also built a relationship with the plaintiff’s family, the complaint alleges. In addition to hiring her for babysitting jobs at his home and pulling her out of class, Fugate also allegedly sent the plaintiff inappropriate letters, notes and emails, the complaint states.

The lawsuit accuses Fugate of assaulting the plaintiff on a weekly basis throughout her high school career despite her staunch objections. 

According to the complaint, Fugate regularly supplied the plaintiff with alcohol to reduce her inhibition and create a scenario in which she could get in trouble if anyone found out about his conduct. He also allegedly warned her that she would get in trouble and he would go to prison if anyone found out about their encounters, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, Fugate’s actions against the plaintiff were obvious enough that another DNUSD staff member should have spotted them. It also states that the school district didn’t have a policy for investigating and supervising employees to prevent sexual abuse, or, if it did, DNUSD didn’t ensure such policies were followed.

The complaint also states that both defendants allegedly violated the plaintiff’s civil rights under the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act and the California Ralph Civil Rights Act of 1976.

According to the complaint, the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act prohibits anyone from using threats, intimidation or coercion to interfere with a person’s constitutional or statutory rights. The California Ralph Civil Rights Act of 1976 protects the rights of persons to be free from any violence or “intimidation by threat of violence” based on their political affiliation, position in a labor dispute or protected category including their sex and race.

The lawsuit cites Fugate’s alleged sexual assault of the plaintiff and DNUSD’s alleged disregard of information of his “sexual violence against young female students.”

The lawsuit adds that both defendants tried to verbally threaten and coerce the plaintiff in order to keep her silent. According to the complaint, the plaintiff continues to suffer distress from the defendants’ actions.

“Plaintiff has suffered and continues to suffer great pain of mind and body, shock, emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional distress, severe anxiety, depression, feelings of self-blame, shame, hypervigilance, a lost sense of trust, a sense of being tainted, and relationship and intimacy issues,” the lawsuit states, “and will continue to be prevented and will continue to be prevented from performing daily activities and obtaining the full enjoyment of life.”

The lawsuit alleges that because of Fugate’s actions and the district’s failure to prevent them, the plaintiff suffered economic injury, including the loss of past and future earnings as well as a loss of education, employment and professional development opportunities.

According to the complaint, the extent of that loss will come out at trial.