PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Salem-Keizer Public Schools agreed to pay a special education teacher $170,000 as part of a settlement for a lawsuit, district officials confirmed.
The lawsuit had claimed the special education teacher, Lauren Eriksen, endured instances of violence from students in 2023 at West Salem High School, including sustaining concussions and a bite that left a chunk of her flesh torn off and left a scar months later.
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A spokesperson for SKPS confirmed to KOIN 6 News that they settled with Eriksen for $170,000. According to the settlement agreement, SKPS agreed to pay $10,000 as wage income, another $99,906 as settlement money for non-economic damages and $60,094 to cover attorney’s fees and costs.
The agreement says Eriksen won’t sue the district and SKPD denies the claims laid out in the lawsuit.
An SKPS spokesperson also provided a statement on Tuesday, which is the same statement they released when the lawsuit originally came to light back in the Fall of 2024:…