A Los Angeles-area school district “consistently mishandled” rampant sex abuse complaints involving teachers and coaches — hiding reports that perverted staff were molesting, harassing, and grooming minors from state regulators.
El Monte Union High School District “systemically” broke state laws surroundingchild sex abuse claimsand botched as many as 113 abuse cases over the course of decades, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Friday.
Sex abuse cases that were swept under the rug included a wrestling coach who repeatedly groped boys during practice sessions and a special education teacher who molested and sent nude photos to an autistic girl, numerous lawsuitshave alleged.
“In more than 100 cases, we found the district failed to conduct a legally compliant investigation” into sex abuse reports, Bonta said at a press conference.
“In five cases, where we did not find evidence that a staff member made the mandated report about sexual abuse of a student by another staff member, that staff member was able to continue to abuse the student and abused and harassed additional students,” he added.
The findings resulted from a seven-year investigation conducted between 2018 and 2025, Bonta said.
Under California law, teachers and other school staff are “mandated reporters” — meaning they are required to immediately report claims ofchild sexual abuseto authorities.
Instead, El Monte officials cultivated a “toxic” culture where sex abuse and assault were swept under the rug, according to reports.Nine former students at Rosemead High Schoolsued the district in 2024, alleging they were abused by district employees.
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The disturbing complaints included an autistic girl who claimed she was sexually harassed during and after school by a special education teacher, Edwin Reyes-Villegas.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
