Lawsuit claims school officials hid misconduct by Scott County HS basketball coach Sean Woods
SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW via LEX NEWS) – Two students at Scott County High School say school administrators failed to protect them from repeated sexual abuse, harassment, and assault by basketball coach and teacher Sean Woods — and then worked to conceal the misconduct rather than stop it, according to a lawsuit filed in Scott County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit names Woods, Superintendent Billy Parker, Assistant Superintendent Brent Allen, Principal Elizabeth Gabehart, multiple assistant principals, and other school officials as defendants. The 168-paragraph complaint outlines 18 legal counts and seeks punitive and compensatory damages.
According to the complaint, Woods engaged in inappropriate physical content with the students, made sexual comments, asked questions about their sexual experiences, invited them to drink alcohol and attend parties, and kept them in his presence for extended periods — including skipping classes and ordering food to his room.
The suit alleges administrators discouraged complaints to “avoid slowing down” the process, provided misinformation to parents and the public about the allegations, allowed Woods to continue coaching basketball and attending school events during pending investigations, and ignored or delayed mandatory reports to law enforcement.
The lawsuit also alleges Woods had a prior termination from another job for sexual misconduct, a history of inappropriate comments and advances toward students and staff, and that supervisory defendants were aware of that history before his hiring.
The lawsuit noted that the students were transferred to a new school in January 2026 after the plaintiffs say repeated failures to remove Woods left them with no other option. Woods eventually resigned in March 2026, only after social workers substantiated the allegations against him, the lawsuit claims.
The two students say they suffered severe emotional distress, physical impairment, educational disruption, diminished earning capacity, and long-term trauma as a result of the abuse and the school’s response to it.
Legal claims in the suit include negligence, assault, battery, sexual assault, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, failure to report, active concealment, violation of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act on the basis of disability and gender, negligent hiring, training, retention and supervision, and vicarious liability.
The complaint alleges the defendants acted with “wanton and reckless disregard” for the rights and safety of the plaintiffs. The suit also seeks pre- and post-judgment interest and attorney fees.
