East Bay school district failed to act on sexual abuse allegations against teacher, lawsuit says
DANVILLE, Calif. (KRON) — An amended civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and a former teacher after a second victim came forward alleging sexual abuse. The school district failed to act on the allegations, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit was initially filed last month in Contra Costa County Superior Court. The second plaintiff added is named in the suit as “Jane Doe No. 2.”
Like “Jane Doe No. 1,” the plaintiff claims she was groomed and sexually abused more than a decade ago by a former theater arts teacher at San Ramon Valley High School while a student there.
“Based upon our investigation, this man enjoyed great latitude and freedom to conduct his affairs as a theater teacher in whatever manner he wished,” said attorney for the plaintiff Robert Allard.
Allard, who is with the San Jose-based law firm of Cerri, Boskovich and Allard, represents the two plaintiffs. He said Jane Doe No. 1’s alleged abuse happened multiple times on and off campus during the 2011-12 school year.
Jane Doe No. 2’s abuse allegedly occurred shortly after the first plaintiff’s graduation.
“He would stay late in the theater with the children alone. He would pull them from class and transport them off campus,” said Allard. “He would engage in grooming behaviors which included gifts and playing favorites. And engaging in inappropriate language and behavior.”
The lawsuit seeking monetary compensation claims the school district failed to appropriately address the complaints about the teacher. At the time, Allard says the plaintiffs’ parents notified law enforcement, but no charges were filed.
Because of this, KRON 4 is not sharing the defendant’s name or picture.
“Here the school district covered it up. They did not act appropriately. They did not document his file so that subsequent employers would know about these allegations,” said Allard. “They did not submit the matter to the California Teacher Accreditation Agency to ensure that his license was taken away.”
Allard said the defendant eventually left the school on his own and is now a vice principal at a K-12 private school in the East Bay. He added that a second plaintiff has come forward, and a formal request has been made to law enforcement to reopen its case.
The San Ramon Valley Unified School District responded to KRON4’s inquiry by stating, “We take these kinds of allegations very seriously. Because this is active litigation, it is our policy not to comment.”
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