Former Oswego High Students Sue D308 Over Sexual Abuse, Grooming Claims

OSWEGO, IL — Four former Oswego High School students are suing Oswego Community Unit School District 308 over allegations of years-long sexual harassment and grooming by an ex-teacher and coach, the law firm representing the women said.

Disparti Law Group filed a lawsuit Feb. 25 in the Circuit Court of Kendall County on behalf of Kala Sundstrom, Anne Marie Fish, Natalie Grimm and Jillian Lake. The women alleged Sean Staffeldt engaged in a long-standing pattern of grooming, inappropriate physical contact, sexually explicit comments and boundary violations targeting female students. The district was aware of his conduct but failed to stop despite multiple reports over several years, the law firm alleges.

The complaint said students began reporting the misconduct in January 2020, but victims weren’t provided “adequate support and were instead isolated or pushed to alter their educational paths while the investigation unfolded.” Three years prior, in 2017, the suit claims Staffeldt received a written warning to maintain professionalism and abstain from hugging or touching students.

“Throughout the entire process, I was terrified. I felt alone,” Lake said in a news release from the law firm. “I felt like although I spoke up, my voice wasn’t actually heard. I desperately needed someone to help me get through it or tell me everything would be okay. I received absolutely no support from the school or district.”

Staffeldt’s conduct was widely known among students and staff, the women allege.

As of Wednesday afternoon, District 308 had not been formally served with the lawsuit, Chief Communications Officer Theresa Komitas told Patch.

"We will provide further comment in the event the District is served and after it has reviewed the official documentation," Komitas said when asked to comment.

“The young women standing here — and those whose privacy we respect — deserve more than statements,” Fish said. “They deserve enforcement. They deserve transparency. They deserve leaders who will choose children over comfort every single time.”

The four women face severe emotional distress, anxiety, trauma and long-term psychological harm as a result of the abuse and the district’s “indifference,” according to the complaint.

“Through this lawsuit, we seek not only justice for these survivors but systemic change to ensure schools protect children by investigating complaints, enforcing professional boundaries, and prioritizing student safety over institutional reputation,” attorney Cass Casper said in a statement.