EspañolJames Gaviola, Orange County Girl’s Basketball Coach at Westminster High School, Charged With Having Sexual Relationship With Underage Student
WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA (April 9, 2025) – A 25-year-old Westminster High School basketball coach, identified as James Gaviola, was arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an underage student.
Westminster Police Department officials arrived at the campus after receiving reports that a coach was having sexual contact with a minor. School officials are cooperating with the police as they continue their investigation.
James Gaviola is an Anaheim resident and served as a walk-on coach for the girls basketball team. He has since been charged with four counts of sexual contact with a minor.
There are concerns that there may be other victims. A full investigation into the actions of James Gaviola remains ongoing.
Liability for Sexual Abuse Involving School Coaches
Sexual misconduct involving school coaches remains an all too common occurrence across California. According to Business Leadership for Independent Schools, “Physical and emotional abuse by coaches of athletes at independent K-12 schools is a relatively common occurrence that often goes undisciplined. Insurance claims and news reports make clear this is a widespread concern.” There are several factors that can contribute to abuse involving school coaches.
- Lack of Oversight: Many schools have athletic programs that do not have strong policies to monitor the interactions that coaches and students have. This can lead to lengthy interactions between coaches and students that are unmonitored.
- Authority Figures: Coaches are often seen as authority figures and role models for all of their students. Athletes place a great deal of trust in their coaches, who can take advantage of them.
- Lack of Training: School faculty may not receive necessary training in order to recognize the early warning signs of sexual abuse. In particular, most cases of sexual abuse are preceded by grooming behaviors.
Schools have a legal obligation to take reasonable measures to protect students from sexual abuse and other foreseeable sources of harm. Consider, for example, Taylor v. Oakland Scavenger Co., 17 Cal. 2d 594 [110 P.2d 1044], “It is the duty of the school authorities to supervise at all times the conduct of the children on the school grounds and to enforce those rules and regulations necessary to their protection.” If a school has actual or constructive notice that a teacher or coach poses a risk of harming students, they must take action.
A school can be held liable for harm caused by a student as a result of their negligent hiring and supervision of a teacher or coach. As outlined in Virginia G. v. ABC Unified School District (1993) 15 Cal.App.4th 1848, a girl was sexually harassed and assaulted on school grounds. Her attorneys argued that the school was liable for the incident by failing to perform adequate background checks or fingerprinting before hiring teachers. The court allowed the case to proceed to trial on the basis that the school district employee who hired the defendant should have known about their history of sexual misconduct. It is important that certain steps are taken after any instance of sexual abuse in a school setting.
- A police report of the incident should be created.
- Eyewitnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records related to the assault should be preserved.
- The history of the defendant’s misconduct should be understood.
- An experienced sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Sexual abuse in a school setting is often highly preventable. It tends to be the result of school officials who are failing to follow proper protocols for supervising students. By the time any coach or teacher is arrested for sexual misconduct, there are often many red flags that were missed. It is important that victims of sexual abuse in a school setting understand that they do have legal options. They are able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim.
Investigating Orange County School Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP were deeply concerned to hear about the alleged misconduct of Westminster High School girl’s basketball coach James Gaviola. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Westminster Police Department. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to make Westminster High School safer for all students. Accountability and transparency are greatly needed in the aftermath of these allegations.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused at Westminster High School? You may have legal recourse. Our team of school sexual abuse attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to helping survivors and holding school districts accountable for their wrongful actions. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering what your rights are, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
