Sex-abuse victim sues former special-ed teacher, Philly School District

A former special-education teacher in the Philadelphia School District who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing one of her eighth-grade students was already facing up to 23 months in prison.

Now, Stephanie Amato, 33, of Plymouth Meeting, is also facing a civil suit seeking monetary damages.

The Frankford teen and his father are suing Amato for assault and battery, and inflicting emotional distress.

They also are suing the Dr. Ethel Allen Promise Academy, the elementary school in Strawberry Mansion the teen attended; the School District; and the City of Philadelphia, alleging negligence and failure to properly supervise Amato and protect the youth while he was a student in her classroom.

"As a result of the negligence, recklessness and/or carelessness" of the defendants, the youth was sexually assaulted by his teacher and sustained "severe and debilitating personal and emotional injuries," according to the complaint filed in Common Pleas Court last week.

The boy and his father are seeking  more than $350,000 in damages.

"While the School District cannot comment on specific cases of active litigation, the safety of our students is our number-one priority, and we are constantly making efforts to protect our children," a district spokesman said Tuesday.

Neither the teen's attorney nor the lawyer who represented Amato in her criminal case could be reached for comment.

The Inquirer and Daily News are not naming the youth or his father because they do not identify the victims of sexual assault without their consent.

Amato, who has a master's degree in education and taught special education in the district for six years, admitted to having a sexual relationship with the student when he was a 14-year-old eighth grader at her school.

The suit said  that beginning around Feb. 1, 2014, and continuing for the next several weeks, Amato engaged in sexual acts with the boy at several locations, including her  home, her vehicle, and school property.

The lawsuit said that during one visit to her home, Amato gave the boy alcohol and sexually assaulted him.

At her sentencing last week, Amato apologized and said, "I  truly feel that I do not believe this would have occurred if it were not for drugs."

Defense attorney Trevan Borum said at sentencing that Amato had begun using opioid narcotics in 2010 and that by the time she was arrested four years later, she was snorting heroin daily.

The youth did not testify at the sentencing, but prosecutors said he had been harmed by the assault, had later committed a felony, and was now in juvenile custody.

Judge Jeffrey P. Minehart sentenced Amato to 11½ to 23 months in prison and said she would be required to register as a sexual offender.

Noting that Amato had no prior record, the  judge said she would be allowed to serve her term in county prison.