EspañolMichael Guzman, an assistant principal at Gabrielino High School in San Gabriel, Arrested and Charged With Committing Sex Crimes With Minors
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (November 20, 2023) – Michael Guzman, who served as the assistant principal at Gabrielino High School in San Gabriel, is facing charges of sex crimes against minors.
The arrest took place last week. In a previous position, Michael Guzman served as a coach and dean at Wilson High School in El Sereno.
The San Gabriel Unified School District has issued a press release following news of the defendant’s arrest. Among other things, the governing board said that Michael Guzman has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
They said that they plan on cooperating with law enforcement. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Los Angeles County Student Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse by teachers is a problem at every level of the education system. According to the National Education Association, “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 many steps that schools should take in order to protect students from sexual violence.
- Schools should thoroughly vet all of the teachers and faculty that they hire. In far too many circumstances, teachers will abuse students at one school and be investigated. That teacher will move to another school and continue the cycle over again.
- Schools should have clear policies with respect to appropriate conduct between teachers and students.
- Schools should have an easy and anonymous reporting system for instances of sexual misconduct.
Depending on the facts of any case, a school could be liable if one of their students is sexually abused. Schools have a legal obligation to properly monitor all of the students in their care and to enforce all rules and regulations necessary for their protection. When a school fails to monitor a student who is then sexually abused, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Victims of sexual abuse tend to suffer many different types of injuries.
- STIs
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Trauma to the genital area
By the time any teacher is arrested for sexual misconduct, there were likely dozens of red flags that were missed. In all likelihood, school officials knew what was going on but they failed to act. One of the main reasons that this type of abuse persists is that prior instances of misconduct are never thoroughly investigated. Any person that is sexually abused by a school teacher may have legal recourse through a civil claim.
Getting Legal Help After Los Angeles County Student Sexual Abuse
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the students who may have been harmed by the actions of Michael Guzman. The allegations made against him are deeply disturbing. Any person that may have more information should reach out to the LAPD.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused by a teacher in Los Angeles County? Our team of teacher sexual abuse attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We are committed to helping victims of sexual abuse and holding school districts accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or are thinking about hiring an attorney we are here for you. You can contact us anytime at 626-799-9375.
