Five former James Bowie High School students have filed a lawsuit against the Austin Independent School District and the former school theater director, Diane Elizabeth “Betsy” Cornwell.
The former students attended the school between 2008 and 2015 and were involved in the Starlight Theatre Company under the direction of Cornwell. The lawsuit stated that Cornwell made sexual comments, used harmful and abusive language, was emotionally and psychologically abusive and manipulative, allowed sexual assaults to happen under her direction and provided drugs to at least one student.
They all recalled instances where Cornwell called students into rehearsal in the evening and directed them to make out with each other and grope each other, according to the lawsuit.
AISD recently named Bowie High School’s new Fine Arts Center after Cornwell, which allowed the former students to “revisit their damaging experiences as children at the hands of Defendant Cornwell, and finally recognize as adults the extent of abuse they suffered, in part by organically speaking to other alumni and realizing that they also had the same memories and trauma.”
They said their experiences reflected a broader failure, that AISD did not recognize or fix the conditions in the school.
When asked to comment on the situation, AISD said Cornwell is on administrative leave but could not share the reason because of privacy requirements under labor laws.
Cornwell has been with the district for 40 years.