Ex-McNary HS students settle sex suit against teacher

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Two former students at McNary High School settled their sexual abuse lawsuit against a Salem-Keizer Public Schools teacher for $200,000.

The two students -- identified in the lawsuit as "Jane Doe 1" and "Jane Doe 2" --filed the $10 million lawsuit in October 2023 against Josh Rist and the district. Rist was accused of “grooming” and “sexual abuse” between 2015 and 2020 when he worked as a music and choir teacher at McNary High School.

Rist was placed on administrative leave during the sexual misconduct investigation between May 2021 and August 2022. The district then moved Rist to Kalapuya Elementary School, but notified parents when he was once again placed on leave shortly before the lawsuit was filed.

The lawsuit alleged Rist had a previous history of grooming students at Hermiston High School, where he taught before coming to McNary. The suit also claimed a different student had complained about grooming before the alleged incidents with Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2.

The settlement between the district and the former students was signed November 5, 2024.

In the settlement, the students agreed "that these are disputed claims, that settlement is being made by District solely to avoid the future cost of defending any and all civil actions, and that this Agreement is not and the Payment does not constitute an admission of liability by the District, by whom liability is expressly denied."

KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story.