Lawsuit claims Fulton County Schools didn’t do enough to stop former teacher from raping student

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A new lawsuit being filed on behalf of a teenage girl who was raped by her teacher claims Fulton County Schools didn’t do enough to stop it from happening.

Robert Vandel, who was a teacher at Lyndon Academy, pleaded guilty to raping a student at Fulton Academy of Science and Technology in Roswell. Vandel taught science at the Fulton Academy in 2020 and the victim was allegedly a student in one of his classes.

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According to the lawsuit, the victim, a former 13-year-old 7th grader at FAST, was groomed, sexually harassed, sexually assaulted and then raped by Vandel.

The lawsuit alleges that before Vandal was hired at FAST, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission had a record of seven students and 14 teachers filing reports of grooming, sexual harassment and sexual assault against him.

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While employed at FAST, the lawsuit says he was reported six more times by teachers, students and a parent.

Channel 2′s Michele Newell obtained the 100-page lawsuit, which names Fulton County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney, as well as former superintendents Cindy Loe and Jeff Rose, and others, including several FAST principals and assistant principals.

The lawsuit alleges that because Fulton County Schools, and those who directly hired Vandel, hired him despite his history of allegations at other institutions, they failed to protect the teenage victim from being attacked.

According to the lawsuit, Vandel’s misconduct took place over a nearly 20-year period.

“(Complaints include) reports about Vandel sexually harassing, sexually abusing kids,” attorney Frank Bayuk said. “Making inappropriate comments to kids and teachers and staff members back in Midland Middle School in 2003.”

According to the complain, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission investigated Vandel and suspended him for two years.

““Vandel was actually criminally charged with battery,” Bayuk said. “Sexual battery and assault. Back then, unfortunately, the case was dead-docketed and wasn’t pursued and he was able to escape responsibility for that.”

Newell spoke to the attorney, Bradley Pratt, who said the fact that he was hired at all is a huge problem. Pratt said Vandel got in trouble again at another school for showing up under the influence of alcohol. He had his teaching certificate suspended again.

“The fact that he was hired at FAST with this background is outrageous,” Pratt said. “She never would have been raped. She never would have been a victim.”

Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Fulton County Schools and received the following statement.

“FAST is a separate legal entity from the Fulton County School District. FAST creates and implements its own personnel policies and hires, vets, and manages its staff independently. Fulton County Schools does not comment on pending litigation.”

The attorneys who file the lawsuit said that FAST is a charter school created with Fulton County School, so they think the district shares a lot of the responsibility.

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