“The LAD was simply not intended to provide a civil remedy for child sex abuse committed by compulsive pedophiles,” the New Jersey Appellate Division said in ruling on an apparent issue of first impression.

According to court documents, the plaintiffs in the case are parents of a 5-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by a school bus aide while taking the bus in the Waterford School District. The school bus aide, identified only as Alan in court documents, was employed by bus owners T&L Transportation Inc. The parents filed an action against T&L, Waterford Township, and Waterford School District for negligence, and an additional claim for relief under the Law Against Discrimination for what they called “harassment and sexual” abuse of their daughter.