BOISE, Idaho — The Boise School District has reached a $500,000 settlement with the family of a child who attended Cynthia Mann Elementary, resolving another legal claim tied to former district employee Gavin Snow.
The family previously filed a tort claim alleging the district failed to protect students and adequately respond to concerns surrounding Snow, who worked in special education programs within the district. The settlement amount matches the district's liability cap.
In a statement to Idaho News 6, the child's mother said the case was never about financial compensation.
"As parents, we entrusted the District with our child's care and safety. When that trust was broken, the consequences were devastating for our family," the mother wrote.
WATCH: The family behind the latest Boise School District settlement explains why they say the case was never about money — and what changes they still want to see.
Snow was the subject of a Boise Police investigation into alleged misconduct involving special education students and child sexual abuse material. He died by suicide in January 2025 as officers attempted to arrest him.
The family said it hopes the resolution of the case will lead to lasting changes within the district.
"We are hopeful that the resolution of both matters serves as a catalyst for meaningful change within the Boise School District," the family added.
The family said its goal is to help ensure future students are protected and that parents can have confidence their children are safe at school.
The Boise School District provided Idaho News 6 with the following statement regarding the settlement: "Boise School District recognizes the significant impact these events have had on the students, and families, and broader school community. We understand and respect the concerns expressed by families and remain committed to supporting safe learning environments for all students.
We also understand that rebuilding trust requires ongoing action and accountability.
Since these incidents came to light, we have taken significant steps to strengthen student safety, including commissioning an independent investigation, implementing new districtwide toileting and bathroom-support procedures, enhancing mandatory reporting and child abuse prevention training, increasing supervision requirements, and making physical modifications to improve visibility and oversight in student support areas.
Student safety remains our highest priority. While no action can undo what occurred, we remain committed to learning from this experience and continuously strengthening our practices to help ensure every student is safe, supported, and protected at school."
