EspañolFormer Student At Flintridge Preparatory School In La Cañada Says Teacher Sexually Abused Her For Years
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CALIFORNIA (November 17, 2023) – A former student at La Cañada Flintridge Preparatory School has filed a lawsuit claiming she was sexually abused by a teacher for years.
The unidentified former student is alleging that one of her former teachers engaged in a years-long relationship with her during which she was sexually abused. Her attorney said that the abused began in 2013 and stretched into the time she was in college.
The lawsuit filed against the school claims that school officials knew about the improper relationship but chose to hide it. School officials have declined to comment on the pending litigation.
It remains unclear if the teacher involved in the lawsuit will face any criminal liability. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For La Cañada Flintridge Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse within the school system is unfortunately very common. According to neaToday, “there were 14,938 incidents of sexual violence in K–12 schools in 2017 – 2018 compared with 9,649 in 2015 – 2016, representing a 55 percent increase. These include incidents of rape or attempted rape and sexual assault.” There are a number of steps that school should take in order to help reduce instances of sexual misconduct among teachers.
- Schools should establish and communicate clear policies on appropriate teacher-student behavior.
- Schools should conduct training sessions for teachers, staff and administrators on recognizing and preventing sexual misconduct.
- Schools should establish confidential reporting mechanisms for students, staff and parents.
- Schools need to make sure that they are collaborating with law enforcement to make sure that criminal investigations are handled correctly.
All schools have a legal obligation to protect students from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes sexual abuse at the hands of school teachers. 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.” When a school fails to follow rules for protecting students from sexual abuse, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any instance of sexual abuse.
- A police report of the incident should be made.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- The teacher’s disciplinary record should be sought.
- Any school communications about the abuse should be reviewed.
Schools are often very concerned about their reputation. This impacts the money that they receive from alumni and other sources. But in trying to preserve their reputations, schools often make a number of mistakes. This often includes attempting to cover up sexual misconduct by their staff. Any student that is sexually abused by a teacher may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A teacher sexual abuse attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating La Cañada Flintridge Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to the student involved in this lawsuit. It is our sincere hope that she is successful and that steps are taken to prevent this from happening again. There needs to be some accountability for what happened.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused by a teacher in La Cañada Flintridge? Our team of teacher sexual abuse attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that abuse victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
