Victim Sues Joliet District 86, Ex-Dirksen Teacher Kyle Camp

JOLIET, IL — One of Will County's largest law firms has filed a lawsuit against Joliet Public School District 86 and imprisoned former Dirksen Junior High School teacher Kyle Camp on behalf of the student who was sexually abused by Camp when she was 12 years old.

The Will County civil lawsuit filed by Joliet attorney Joseph Stockman of the law firm Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol seeks a judgment in excess of $2 million in damages against Joliet District 86 and Camp.

"District 86 overlooked many facts and events that would have put them on notice of the predatory sexual actions of Kyle Camp with our client, who was only 12 years old at the time," Stockman told Joliet Patch.

Since 2019, Camp has been in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections. He's serving his 15-year prison sentence at the Shawnee Correctional Center in Shawnee. Now 43 years old, Camp has remained in custody since March 4, 2016. His projected parole date is Dec. 4, 2028.

Camp lived in Minooka and his conviction of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13 took place in Grundy County.

Joliet Patch has left a message seeking comment from District 86 spokeswoman Sandy Zalewski.

According to Stockman's lawsuit against District 86 and Camp:

• His client, identified in Will County court records as "Jane Doe," was a sixth grade student in Camp's class at Dirksen Junior High School in Joliet in 2015.
• In 2016, she was a seventh grade student at Dirksen "when Defendant CAMP started an inappropriate relationship with JANE DOE, which included inappropriate sexual acts, touching and abuse ... Defendant CAMP sexually assaulted, inappropriately touched, and abused JANE DOE on the campus of Dirksen Junior High School."
• Camp was put into a supervisory position by District 86 "and was entrusted with protecting minor children, including JANE DOE."

• District 86 "knew or should have known that Defendant CAMP was having inappropriate contact and relations with JANE DOE, yet continued to employ him and did not prohibit him from having contact with JANE DOE."
• Defendant CAMP would give his personal cell phone number to numerous female students and former female students at Dirksen Junior High School.
• Defendant CAMP and JANE DOE would exchange thousands of text messages, including while on the Dirksen Junior High School campus.
• Defendant CAMP would give JANE DOE signs of affection in direct view of other students and teachers at Dirksen Junior High School.

As a result of the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation, Jane Doe "has suffered and continues to suffer severe and permanent emotional distress, resulting in physical manifestations, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, humiliation and emotional damages, and is prevented and will continue to be prevented from performing and living a normal life and having the full enjoyment of life; and has incurred and will continue to incur expenses for medical and psychological treatment, therapy, counseling and will continue to incur loss of income and/or loss of earning capacity," Stockman argued.

Here are more excerpts from the Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol lawsuit:

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Dirksen Teacher Sentenced To Prison For Sex Crimes

5th-Grade Teacher Jailed For Sex With 12-Year-Old Student: Cops