EspañolMichelle Solis, Gridley Unified Teacher, Accused of Having Sexual Relationship With Former Student As Police Search For Other Victims
GRIDLEY, CALIFORNIA (November 14, 2023) – A Gridley Unified teacher identified as Michelle Solis has been arrested and is accused of having a sexual relationship with a former student.
Butte County officials are saying that the incident began on October 10. Parents contacted the Gridley Police Department after there were rumors of explicit photographs of a teacher being passed around by students.
Gridley police officials said that they determined Michelle Solis was in a sexual relationship with a former student. She has since been arrested and booked on suspicion of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under 16.
Authorities said that Michelle Solis has taught at the school district for 20 years. Gridley Police Department officials suspect that their may be additional victims.
They are asking for the public’s help.
Liability For Gridley Unified Teacher Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse at the hands of school teachers is much more common than many people may realize. According to Psychology Today, “A new large-scale, multistate survey of recent high school graduates about the nature and scope of educator sexual misconduct in Grades K-12 conducted by our lab found that almost 20 years after the publication of the Shakeshaft report, educator sexual misconduct remains rampant.” There are a number of factors that could contribute to sexual abuse within schools.
- There is a natural power imbalance among teachers and students. Teachers hold positions of authority which they can manipulate to coerce students into sexual relationships.
- Sexual abuse is much more likely to occur when schools do not have proper oversight of both students and teachers.
- Sexual abuse may occur when schools have inadequate reporting mechanisms. It is important that all instances of sexual misconduct are thoroughly investigated.
Depending on the facts of any case, a school district could be liable if a teacher sexually abuses a student. As outlined in Virginia G. v. ABC Unified School District (1993) 15 Cal.App.4th 1848, schools can be liable for the sexual assault of a student if teachers knew (or should have known) about that teacher’s history of sexual abuse and failed to act. By the time any teacher is arrested for sexual abuse of a student, there were likely dozens of red flags that were missed. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any instance of sexual abuse.
- Messages between the teacher and the student should be kept.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
Sexual abuse can be one of the most traumatic things that children can go through. It puts them at risk for a wide range of psychological and physical ailments. Teachers in California are mandated reporters and are supposed to report any instances of reasonably suspected child abuse, but far too often this does not happen. The family of any child that is sexually abused by a teacher may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A sexual abuse attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating Butte County Teacher Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the students and families who may have been harmed by the actions of Michelle Solis. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of all of the students and families who have been impacted.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed by a Butte County teacher? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We have a lengthy track record of getting record breaking settlements and verdicts for our deserving clients. Whether you just have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
