CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Montgomery County teacher who was arrested after allegedly showing explicit photos to a student is now being sued by the student.
Makenzie Ellithorpe is seeking $3.5 million in damages, alleging her teacher, Matthew Vedder, intentionally showed her the explicit images.
The lawsuit also names Montgomery Central High School, Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools and district Superintendent Dr. Jean Luna-Vedder, who is married to Matthew Vedder, as defendants.
The suit includes allegations of sexual harassment, assault and negligent hiring and supervision, among other claims.
According to the lawsuit, Vedder was hired under a provision allowing teachers to work without a teaching license. Ellithorpe alleges he was not adequately screened before being hired and was not properly supervised during his interactions with students.
NewsChannel 5 previously interviewed Ellithorpe when she first shared her story.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
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