A former student of Western Mennonite School in Salem, Ore., has filed a lawsuit seeking $5.5 million in damages from the school and Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA.

The student was sexually abused by a teacher, Matthew David Yoder, who pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree sex abuse in March 2014. He was sentenced to 32 months in prison.

Yoder, who taught social studies at Western, was arrested Feb. 14, 2012, on charges of sexually abusing a female student who was 16 at the time.

The complaint, which was filed March 3, alleges the school and conference “knew that Yoder had previously been accused and investigated in connection with allegations of sexual abuse and that he posed a risk to students.”

The lawsuit states the student enrolled as a freshman in 2010. It alleges Yoder sexually abused the student from late 2010 through the end of 2011.

The complaint also alleges the school and conference “received reports from students at Western Mennonite School that Yoder’s relationship with plaintiff was inappropriate.”

Media reports from 2012 indicated school officials learned of the allegations Feb. 13 and suspended Yoder that day, terminating him Feb. 14.

Western Mennonite head of school Paul Schultz declined to comment on the case March 3. He did not indicate whether the school has insurance for such matters.

Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference executive conference minister Katherine Jameson Pitts said she was unable to comment when she was contacted March 4.

The Western Mennonite website indicates the school was founded by PNMC “and interacts with them as a resource.”