EspañolKyiri Tisdale, Former Teacher at Escondido High School, Sentenced To Prison After Pleading Guilty to Sex Crimes Involving Former Students
ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA (June 26, 2025) – A former teacher at Escondido High School identified as 32-year-old Kyiri Tisdale has been sentenced to six years in a state prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes.
The misconduct took place while the defendant was serving as a math teacher at Escondido High. Kyiri Tisdale was accused of sexually abusing a male and a female student.
He was eventually arrested in 2024. Prosecutors claim that Kyiri Tisdale groomed students by gradually crossing boundaries until his relationship with the students became sexual.
The case against Kyiri Tisdale did not go to trial. He accepted a plea deal that reduced the number of felonies he was charged with down to 7 from the original 26.
Prosecutors have urged that any additional victims come forward and speak with them.
Liability for Escondido High School Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse in schools remains far more common than many parents may realize. According to the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, “As many as 1 in 10 public school students may face sexual abuse or harassment by adults at school. That statistic — gleaned from a 2004 report commissioned by the US Department of Education — exemplifies how little we know about how often such abuse and misconduct happens on and off school grounds, despite decades of calls for reform and more transparency.” Schools are supposed to be proactive when it comes to preventing abuse in their midst.
- Vetting: Schools should ensure that all employees undergo a thorough background check. They should also call and speak with former employers.
- Safeguarding: Schools should implement measures designed to safeguard the well-being of students. This will typically include a two-adult rule to ensure that students are not left alone with a single adult.
- Training: School faculty should be trained to recognize the signs that grooming or abuse may be taking place.
- Reporting: Schools should have anonymous reporting mechanisms that allow students and staff to report misconduct that they encounter without fear.
Schools have a legal obligation to protect students from foreseeable sources of harm. This includes sexual abuse at the hands of teachers and other faculty. Accordingly, schools must enforce all rules and regulations necessary to accomplish that goal. When school officials have actual or constructive notice that a certain teacher poses a risk of harm to students, they must take action. Teachers are also considered mandated reporters. They have a legal obligation to report any reasonably suspected instances of child abuse.
When school officials fail to protect students from sexual abuse, they could be held liable. Consider, for example, Wieder v. San Diego Unified School District et al. The plaintiff was the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a school employee. The defendant had intercourse with the plaintiff in his truck several times a week during her junior and senior years. In that case, the school allegedly failed to report suspected instances of child abuse. It is important that certain steps are taken after any instance of school sexual abuse.
- The abuse should be reported to the police so that they can begin an investigation.
- Medical records related to the abuse should be preserved.
- The actions of school officials should be understood.
- An experienced sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Sexual abuse in schools is often highly preventable. Part of the problem is that teachers often fail to report abuse and misconduct that they become aware of. By the time any teacher is arrested for sexual abuse, there were often numerous red flags that were missed. Unfortunately, schools will often do everything in their power to deny responsibility if a student in their care is abused. This is why it is so important that victims of sexual abuse seek the guidance of experienced legal counsel.
Investigating Sexual Abuse at Escondido High School
We at the Carrillo Law Firm were deeply concerned to hear about the allegations against Kyiri Tisdale. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to prosecutors. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent other instances of misconduct. There needs to be accountability across the board in that regard.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused at Escondido High School? You may have legal recourse. Our team of school sexual abuse attorneys is here for you. We’ve successfully recovered some of the highest verdicts and settlements for victims of school abuse across California. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering how an attorney may be able to help, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
