MILWAUKIE, OR, Apr. 8 — A $4,500 settlement has been paid by the North Clackamas School District to a 12-year-old Milwaukie girl who claimed she suffered psychological damage while seeing a classroom showing of a made-for-television film on the Charles Manson murders.

According to attorneys in the case, the suit was settled out of court to spare the teacher and student, whose identities were not revealed.

The film, “Helter Skelter,” was shown last summer during the class, “Introduction to Psychology and Sociology,” taught by a first-year teacher now at Clackamas High School.

According to Tujo, the attorney for the family, the girl withdrew from the class following the showing of the film, which dramatized the 1969 murders and the following investigation and trial of the Manson family. The film was shown on national television in 1976, with announcements that the subject matter might be objectionable to some.

“She quit eating and kept thinking she would die,” said Tujo of the girl. “She had to go to several psychiatric examinations and still has some residual problems. That is why we did not want to go to court to rehash this.”

According to school district officials, parental-permission slips were required by the teacher before the class started. However, the student was on vacation with her parents when the class began and had not received the permission slip.

“Permission slips are not required for classes except when a teacher wants to take a student off the school grounds,” said Don Charles, district superintendent. “The teacher in this case just did more than necessary in letting the parents know what would be involved in the class.”

Tujo said the parents talked to the instructor following the class, but said they were told, “If you don’t like it, tough.”

“The parents weren’t interested in the money when they came to me,” said Tujo. “They tried to talk to the superintendent, but he never returned their call. They thought the school district should know how bad the results of the class had been.”

Charles said he first became aware of the problems when Tujo sent him a letter saying the parents were filing a $7,500 negligence suit.

“If the parents ever tried to contact me, I am unaware of it,” Charles said.

The class was designed for high school juniors and seniors, but was opened to junior high students when not enough older students signed up. However, the class was modified for the younger students, said Ben Shellenberg, deputy superintendent.

“This probably never would have happened if we would have had the regular administrative staff working during the summer. However, the summer school principal was one of a number of teachers aspiring to be administrators who were not experienced in decision-making,” Shellenberg said.

He said he doubted the course would have been approved had the curriculum committee known the film had been included.

“Most courses are approved without the committee knowing what the instructional materials will be. We approve the concept of the course,” he said.

“I think some 13-year-olds can probably handle the film. Perhaps some cannot.”

Shellenberg said the class would not be held this summer, but that the threat of the litigation was not the reason for canceling it.

“We just didn’t get the numbers of students we expected in the elective courses, so we are going to concentrate on the basics and remedial courses this year,” he said.

Charles said the settlement in no way indicates the school district accepts guilt for the class or the film.

“We have made no admission of guilt by reaching the agreement. If we would have gone to court, we would have brought a lot of pressure on the teacher and the student. Actually, we were merely taking the cheapest way out,” Charles said.

By CONNIE HOFFERBER