EspañolPaul Herder, 66, Former Teacher at Oak Grove School In Ojai, Pleaded Guilty To Sexually Abusing Student After Being Arrested In Hawaii
VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (March 18, 2024) – A former Ventura County teacher identified as Paul Herder has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a student at Oak Grove School in Ojai.
Ventura County officials are saying that the unidentified student first alerted authorities of the abuse in February 2023. The student claimed that Paul Herder engaged in numerous sexual acts with her between 2013 and 2017 while she was underage.
Authorities arrested the defendant last June while he was in Hawaii. Prior to being arrested, Paul Herder worked as a teacher at Oak Grove School in Ojai.
He has since been charged with six felony counts, including sexual abuse of a minor. On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to all six counts. He is due in court again on April 29 to be sentenced.
Liability For Ventura County Student Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse within the educational system remains very common. Girls are disproportionately affected by this abuse. According to RAINN, “One in 9 girls and 1 in 20 boys under the age of 18 experience sexual abuse or assault. 82% of all victims under 18 are female. Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.” Schools should take a number of measures in order to prevent student sexual abuse.
- Schools should understand the factors that lead to sexual victimization and predation.
- Schools should develop and implement codes of conduct.
- Schools should perform background checks on all employees.
- School employee should report all reasonably suspected instances of sexual abuse.
It is illegal for any teacher to have a sexual relationship with a minor student. Pursuant to California Penal Code 288, it is a crime for a person to commit any lewd or lascivious act on a child under 16 years of age. This includes touching a child’s body for sexual purposes. The touching does not need to be on bare skin. If a school fails to take reasonable steps in order to prevent a student from being sexually abused, they could be held accountable through a civil claim. Sexual abuse can have profound and lasting consequences for victims.
- Survivors of sexual abuse are more likely to become addicted to drugs.
- Survivors of sexual abuse are more likely to have PTSD as adults.
- Survivors of sexual abuse are more likely to experience major depressive episodes as adults.
- Survivors of sexual abuse are more likely to have suicidal ideations.
By the time any teacher is arrested for sexual abuse, there are likely many red flags that were missed. It is also common for there to be multiple victims. Sadly, though, schools will often do everything that they can to deny liability if one of their teachers sexually abuses a student. Any person who 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 Sexual Abuse At Oak Grove School In Ojai
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the people who have been harmed by the actions of Paul Herder. It is our sincere hope that steps are taken to prevent this from happening again. No child should ever go through something like this.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused at Oak Grove School in Ojai? You may have legal recourse. Our team of school sexual abuse attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We are committed to helping abuse victims and holding schools accountable for their negligent actions. 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.
