Buffalo’s Amherst Schools Face Remaining Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuits After Settlements

Photo: Amherst Central High School in Snyder, New York. Credit: EditorE, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Amherst Central School District in Western New York has already settled seven lawsuits involving allegations of childhood sexual abuse, with three additional cases remaining active, BuffaloNews.com reported.

The unresolved lawsuits accuse former Amherst teacher Thomas Morse Jr. of sexually abusing middle school students during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Morse, now 91, has denied the allegations in court filings.

The cases were brought under New York’s Child Victims Act, which temporarily reopened the courthouse door for survivors whose claims had previously expired under older statutes of limitations.

What Amherst Has Paid From District Funds

Since 2020, Amherst has settled five lawsuits involving former high school attendance officer and assistant principal Jack Koch, one case involving former elementary school teacher Trent Hariaczyi and another involving an unnamed guidance counselor accused of abuse dating to 1960.

According to settlement agreements obtained through New York’s Freedom of Information Law, the district paid at least $1.5 million of its own money to resolve three of the Koch cases.

One survivor received a $1 million settlement from the district after alleging Koch abused her in 1986 when she was 16. Amherst paid another $500,000 toward two additional Koch settlements.

Insurance covered at least some of the cost in several other cases. One insurer agreed to fund a $667,683 structured settlement extending through 2039, while other insurance payments were not publicly disclosed.

The district also paid $5,000 directly to resolve the 1960 guidance counselor claim.

Three Lawsuits Against Former Teacher Thomas Morse Remain Active

The remaining cases involve Morse, who taught English and social studies in Amherst from 1961 until retiring in 1992.

Three former students allege he sexually abused them while they were middle school students during the 1960s and 1970s.

The lawsuits accuse the district of failing to recognize or respond to warning signs that could have protected students.

District officials argue they had no notice of problems involving Morse until years after he had retired and say the plaintiffs have not produced sufficient evidence showing school officials knew or should have known about the alleged abuse.

The plaintiffs disagree, arguing that warning signs existed while Morse was still teaching.

An Erie County Supreme Court judge recently heard arguments over the district’s request to dismiss the claims and has not yet issued a decision.

Lack of Insurance Could Leave Amherst Responsible for Any Future Payouts

The financial stakes could be considerably higher in the three remaining lawsuits.

Amherst officials have said they have been unable to locate liability insurance covering the period when the alleged abuse occurred.

That means if the district loses at trial or agrees to settlements, the money could come directly from district funds rather than an insurance carrier.

Recorded Phone Call Is Among the Evidence in One Case

One of the lawsuits includes a secretly recorded telephone conversation between Morse and a former student.

According to a transcript described in court filings, the former student asked Morse about sexual activity she says occurred when she was 13. Morse responded that he remembered and apologized.

Morse later testified in a 2024 deposition that he did not remember the call and denied sexually abusing the plaintiffs while they were Amherst students.

The recorded conversation is expected to be an important piece of evidence if the case proceeds.

Amherst Is One of Many New York School Districts Facing Child Victims Act Claims

The Amherst litigation is part of a much larger wave of lawsuits filed against public school districts under New York’s Child Victims Act.

About 180 Child Victims Act lawsuits were filed against public school districts in Western New York during the state’s 2019–2021 lookback window.

More than half have since been resolved, but several dozen cases remain pending in state court.

Those lawsuits have forced school districts to address allegations dating back decades while also confronting questions about missing insurance policies, institutional responsibility and how much current taxpayers may ultimately be required to pay.