This story has been updated
Court documents reveal more information about the federal civil rights lawsuit that the parent of a student who was secretly filmed by a former coach has filed against the School District of Janesville as well as five administrators.
According to the complaint filed in United States District Court for the Western District, at some point prior to 2023 Brian Kitzman was forced to step down as girls swim coach after he was suspected of engaging in surveillance of the girls locker room, as well as window-peeking at a cheerleader.
The suit alleges that both Superintendent Mark Holzman and Craig Principal Alison Bjoin knew why Kitzman was relieved of his duties but failed to warn the other coaches, parents, or athletes.
A former swim coach reported to Craig athletics and activities director Benjamin McCormick that Kitzman would not wear underwear when coaching and that it made girls uncomfortable because they could see through his wet shorts, and that he took no action.
The suit alleges that Kitzman was also seen bending over and exposing his genitals by Craig High School swim coach Jennifer Punzel but that she never spoke to him about it, or reported his behavior.
Craig High School track and cross country coach Brandon Miles is accused of taken no action after being told by several female athletes that Kitzman made gave them “creepy vibes.”
Kitzman is a former track and field and girls swimming coach who admitted to taking naked videos of girls as young as 12 dating back to 2015.
Kitzman pleaded guilty last December to 19 charges, including of capturing an intimate representation of a victim less than 18 years old.
In May, Judge Ashley Morse sentenced him to 19 years in prison, and 19 years of extended supervision; one year for each of his victims.
According to the suit filed last week the School District’s deliberate indifference to the obvious propensity of Brian Kitzman to commit educator sexual misconduct which led to the unlawful surveillance of the victim, would not have occurred but for her sex which violates Title IX.
The suit seeks compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages.
