EspañolBrett David Dahl, Math Teacher At Excelsior Charter Schools, Suspected of Sexual Crimes Against Underage Teen Girl
VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA (April 25, 2024) – An Inland Empire teacher identified as Brett Dahl was arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse.
San Bernardino County officials are saying that the defendant taught math at Excelsior Charter Schools. Brett Dahl, 43, of Victorville, was arrested at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
A news release by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department detailed numerous charges against the suspect. According to the news release, the defendant is being charged with “violation of PC 288.3(a) Contacting a Minor to Commit a Felony, PC 288.4(b) Meeting with Minor for Lewd Purpose, PC 273a(a) Child Endangerment, and PC 278 Child Abduction.”
Brett Dahl has since been booked into the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto and is being held on $60,000 bail. Detectives believe that there may be additional victims.
Anyone with more information should reach out to Detective Jason Desario of the Specialized Investigations Division. You can also remain anonymous through the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).
Liability For San Bernardino County Child Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse remains all too common at schools across California and the United States. 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.” The vast majority of the abuse that takes place is never reported or investigated. Schools should take a number of steps to prevent sexual abuse.
- Teachers should not be isolated with individual students.
- School officials should be able to identify “grooming” behaviors by other school employees.
- Schools should always properly supervise the students in their care.
- Schools should thoroughly investigate all instances of teacher misconduct.
Schools have a legal obligation to protect children from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. This includes protection from sexual abuse at the hands of school employees. 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 school officials fail to properly supervise a child who is then sexually abused, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are a number of signs that parents and teachers should look for that could indicate school sexual abuse.
- A child may have a sharp decline in academic performance.
- A child may have recurring nightmares.
- A child may develop panic attacks.
- A child may develop anxiety.
- A child may begin to self-harm.
Sexual abuse can be one of the most harmful experiences that most children will ever go through. Victims often suffer from long-term psychological injuries. They are also at much greater risk of chronic health conditions. Sadly, though, schools will often do everything in their power to deny responsibility if a student in their care is sexually abused. This is why it is crucial to seek skilled legal counsel as early as possible. A child 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 Excelsior Charter Schools
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our best wishes to all of the children and families that may have been impacted by the actions of Brett David Dahl. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what school officials knew and when they knew it. It is our hope that greater insight into what went wrong will help prevent other incidents down the road.
Have you or someone that you care about been subjected to sexual abuse at Excelsior Charter Schools? You are able to hold your assailant accountable through a civil claim. Our team of teacher sexual abuse attorneys is committed to defending the rights of survivors and holding school districts accountable for their negligence. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
