Victims suing Bemidji Area School District after assistant principal sexually exploited students

Two victims and their parents are suing the Bemidji Area School District, alleging administrators did not take adequate steps to protect students from an assistant principal who solicited sexually explicit photos from them. 37-year-old Brandon Bjerknes is serving a 25-year prison sentence. The Star Tribune reports the plaintiffs allege that in 2016 a parent complained to the school that students were being targeted on-line by a “Brett Larson” — the alias Bjerknes was using — but school officials ignored it. The suit alleges school officials did not properly investigate allegations of sexual exploitation, and punished students for missing classes because of the crimes. Bemidji Area School District officials have not responded to a request for comment.