School Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Explore Your Legal Rights to File a Civil Lawsuit During a Free Case Evaluation

A school sexual abuse lawyer is a crucial ally for your family when seeking justice for various forms of misconduct at an educational institution. The right attorney can empower your child, reduce the psychological toll that sexual abuse takes, and push for the highest financial compensation available.

The dedicated team of school sexual abuse attorneys at Injury Lawyer Team has helped thousands of families nationwide, holding schools accountable for failing to provide a safe learning environment. Contact us today for a confidential consultation about a civil lawsuit.

Notable School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits and Allegations

Dozens of sexual abuse lawsuits allege that school administrators are failing to handle sexual abuse cases or report suspected abuse to the proper authorities. Recent studies estimate that 17% of students are victims of sexual misconduct by a school employee, such as a teacher or teacher’s aide.

Teachers and other school employees have a responsibility to report suspected sexual abuse, but many fail to uphold this obligation, leaving victims to suffer alone. The cases below are just a few of the thousands filed throughout America.

Private School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

When sexual abuse happens in a private school, parents and children have fewer protections, as these institutions are not required to uphold the same regulations as public schools. However, a private school sexual abuse lawyer from our firm will hold the responsible parties liable and help prevent future abuse through a civil claim.

Twin Rivers Unified School District

In September 2025, this district settled a landmark California school sexual abuse lawsuit for $6 million. The lawsuit stemmed from abuse perpetrated by Kim Kenneth Wilson, who was sentenced to 215 years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple children on school grounds.

According to prosecutors, Wilson used the Del Paso Heights Elementary School’s media room to sexually abuse little girls, sometimes filming the assaults. He also took some girls to his private residence and abused them there.

California School for the Deaf

The California School for the Deaf sexual abuse lawsuit, settled in July 2025, generated one of the largest verdicts for a single child sexual abuse victim in state history. According to the lawsuit, Ricardo Rose abused the unnamed survivor between 2009 and 2011, starting when the boy was 10 years old.

In addition to multiple sexual assaults, often taking place in the school’s dorms, Rose also threatened to bite the child’s fingers off if he ever told anyone. The school received multiple complaints about Rose’s suspicious behavior from both staff and students, including one female teacher who complained of sexual harassment. However, school administrators chose to take no action.

Clovis Unified School District

Five women filed Clovis Unified School District sexual abuse lawsuits in June 2025, alleging that they were molested by former Fancher Creek Elementary School teacher Neng Yang. According to the survivors, the abuse occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the school failed to do anything about it even after multiple complaints.

Yang is currently serving a 38-year federal prison sentence for sexual exploitation of a minor. He was arrested for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in 2012.

Miramonte Elementary

The Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to pay $3.5 million to survivors of sexual abuse at Miramonte Elementary School, which is just one of many Los Angeles school sexual abuse lawsuits filed in recent years.

These claims center around former Miramonte teacher Mark Berndt, who was convicted of sexually abusing children under his care. He pleaded no contest in 2013 to 23 charges of lewd conduct upon a child and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The allegations of his misconduct included feeding children food laced with bodily fluids and taking explicit pictures of them.

Complaints about Berndt dated back to the 1980s, but LAUSD refused to intervene, silencing students and teachers who spoke up.

Sexual abuse attorney reviewing case details involving school abuse

Lowell High School

In July 2023, a former student at Lowell High School filed a San Francisco County school sexual abuse lawsuit, alleging that former teacher Harlan Edelman molested him during the 2004-2005 school year. The victim, named only as John Doe, accused the school of failing to protect him from a known molester, who had openly groomed boys during school hours.

Edelman, who died of sarcoma in 2018, was arrested during a Mountain View, California, sting operation targeting men who attempt to groom children online. The victim in this case alleged that Edelman sexually abused him both in his school classroom and at other locations off school property.

San Francisco Waldorf High School

In May 2025, two former students of the Waldorf High School filed San Francisco private school sexual abuse lawsuits, alleging that a tutor sexually abused them during the 2003-2004 school year. Both the girls suffered repeated assaults and grooming by Jason Davis, who worked as a tutor and later substitute teacher.

The first girl, Jane Doe 1, received private tutoring lessons from Davis. The lessons took place in the private school’s art room, and Davis would talk about inappropriate sexual topics with her. Once, he sexually abused her after a school-wide field trip and forced her to undress. A school administrator entered the room and found the girl with her shirt inside out and Davis standing over her.

Despite disciplining Davis for the inappropriate relationship, the private school did not fire him, and he went on to molest Jane Doe 1 several more times. He also forced her to drop out of school before beginning to groom another student, Jane Doe 2, in the same way.

Santa Cruz City Schools

In December 2024, two former students were awarded $4.5 million in Santa Cruz City Schools sexual abuse lawsuits. The alleged abuse occurred between 1988 and 1991, when the two victims were in middle school and high school. Steve Myers, a former principal for the district, molested the children while running the Traveling School Summer Program, a six-week program for children with behavioral issues.

This is only one of two lawsuits involving Steve Myers. The first suit, filed in 2022, alleges that the district was aware of Myer’s inappropriate conduct dating back to the 1970s but failed to act on multiple complaints. Myers was investigated by the police several times and even admitted to having an attraction to school-age children, but nothing was done to stop him.

Despite the allegations, Myers has not been criminally prosecuted and currently lives in Colorado.

Tamalpais Union High School District

Four survivors were awarded $17.5 million after filing Tamalpais High School sexual abuse lawsuits, alleging that they were sexually abused by former tennis coach Normandie Burgos. In one of the abuse cases, Burgos repeatedly sodomized a young boy during the 1999 to 2000 school year.

The victim reported that another employee witnessed the misconduct and, rather than intervening, made a joke about it and walked away. He also allegedly performed “body fat tests” by taking boys to a private room, forcing them to undress, and inappropriately touching them.

St. Joseph Catholic School

This May 2025 Florida school sexual abuse lawsuit centers around Robert “Father Bob” Hoeffner, who was murdered by one of his victims in January 2024. Brandon Kapas, who fatally shot Hoeffner, Hoeffner’s sister, and his grandfather before being killed by police, was allegedly molested by Hoeffner at St. Joseph Catholic School.

A thorough investigation after the quadruple murder determined that Kapas had been acting erratically and that he had vaguely discussed sexual abuse.

The current suit is brought by alleged victim Shawn Teuber, who was friends with Brandon Kapas and studied with him at the school. Teuber asserts that both he and Kapas were sexually abused by Hoeffner from 2012 to 2014, when he was in seventh through ninth grade. Hoeffner allegedly would use information disclosed during confessions to manipulate the boys into sexual acts.

Teuber claims that he suffers from chronic anxiety and nightmares due to the sexual abuse.

Roosevelt Middle School

In July 2025, 57-year-old Miguel Benavente was arrested for Roosevelt Middle School sexual abuse. According to law enforcement, he sexually assaulted a child multiple times between the ages of 9 and 14.

While collecting evidence for that case, investigators learned that Benavente had previously been accused of child sex abuse back in 2000, but that the statute of limitations had expired by the time the victim came forward. Benavente would allegedly bring children to his home for extra help with their school work and then molest them.

Darlington Middle School

Retired principal Paul Nelson Locklear was charged in 2024 with several crimes in connection with Darlington Middle School sexual abuse. The Robeson County, North Carolina, man allegedly abused a foster child in his care. The child ran away and contacted the police.

A thorough investigation uncovered additional sexual abuse allegations dating back to at least 2022, and more victims may not have come forward.

Homewood Flossmoor High School

A jury awarded $3.5 million to a former Homewood-Flossmoor High School student, just one of many Illinois school sexual abuse lawsuits that accuse districts of failing to intervene in sexual abuse cases. The victim was assaulted during a theatre class on Halloween in 2022.

According to the family, the victim’s mother was informed of the sexual abuse, but then was confined to a conference room without any knowledge of her daughter’s condition.

The family filed lawsuits in December 2022, and the school settled with them in March 2025.

Sullivan High School

The family of an autistic teenager filed Chicago school sexual abuse lawsuits against Sullivan High School, demandingit be held liable for a sexual assault that took place in the school’s bathroom. According to the suit, the teen had an individual education plan (IEP) that required him to be accompanied by an adult at all times.

The teen, who was in 10th grade at the time, walked from his homeroom to the school’s bathroom without an adult present, where the sexual abuse took place.

Bloom Trail High School

A 2024 Bloom Trail High School sexual abuse lawsuit accuses high school softball coach and teacher Ron Giglio of grooming and abusing them. According to the victims, the school was aware of the sexual abuse cases but failed to act, putting more children at risk of molestation.

The civil lawsuit claims that the plaintiff was groomed starting in her sophomore year and, by her junior year, Giglio had begun molesting her. Former students say that the sexual abuse was common knowledge, but the school refused to intervene.

Downers Grove South High School

In June 2025, the Downers Grove South High School sexual abuse case against former teacher and soccer coach Christina Formella grew even more complex, as 52 more charges were added to her original indictment.

Evidence collected by the Downers Grove Police Department suggests that Formella had an inappropriate relationship with a soccer player from January 2023 through August or September 2024. The child was around 15 years old when the sexual abuse began. The unnamed victim alleged that Formella sexually abused him at least fifty times over that period.

Fenton Community High School District

In June 2024, a Fenton Community High School District sexual abuse lawsuit alleged that she was abused by a former teacher at the Bensenville school. The plaintiff was enrolled there during the 2015-2016 school year, when she was subjected to sexual harassment, assault, and abuse.

She alleged that staff were aware of what was happening but failed to take responsibility or protect her from the perpetrator.

Lockport Township High School District

A January 2024 Lockport Township High School District sexual abuse lawsuit alleges that the school failed to take action when one student sexually abused another. The victim and perpetrator were in Tinley Park to watch a boys’ basketball game when the perpetrator took the victim to a stairwell, where he raped her.

No employees noted that the two were missing from the gymnasium or went to look for them.

Bedford High School

According to a June 2025 Bedford High School sexual abuse lawsuit, the district covered up an inappropriate relationship between a student and an employee. Christopher Wilhelm, a former teacher and football coach at Bedford High School, allegedly abused a 17-year-old female student from May 2022 until December 2022.

Evidence suggested that he groomed her through social media and asked her to work as a babysitter, where some of the sexual abuse took place in his Toledo, Ohio, home.

Lakewood Public Schools

A Lakewood Public Schools sexual abuse lawsuit filed in 2015 accused the district of protecting former athletic trainer Chad Curtis from allegations, allowing him to commit child sex abuse against young girls in Lake Odessa, Michigan.

Worse, administrators failed to intervene when the survivors were harassed for coming forward, with parents threatening to “teach the girls a lesson” and implying they were troublemakers.

Curtis, a former Major League Baseball player, was convicted in 2013 of molesting three girls in 2011 and was sentenced to serve up to 15 years in prison. He allegedly would lure girls into a private room under the guise of giving them massages, then fondle them.

Saginaw Intermediate School District

In May 2025, a Saginaw Intermediate School District sexual abuse lawsuit alleged that a man suffered sexual abuse while at two treatment facilities in Saginaw County, Michigan.

The boy was between the ages of 10 and 13 when he was court-ordered to reside at Wolverine Human Services, which had its license revoked in 2021, and Holy Cross Children’s Services. According to him, he was molested at both facilities by educational professionals.

Camden City School District

New Jersey school sexual abuse lawsuits have resulted in significant unrest for the Camden School Board President, Wasim Muhammad, who has been called upon to resign after settling a $2 million claim against him and the district.

Though he was not found guilty of sexual assault and has maintained his innocence, a jury determined that he and the district created a hostile environment for the victim, and that the district was negligent in its supervision of Muhammad.

Central Catholic High School

Two Pennsylvania school sexual abuse cases allege that the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh did not protect students at Central Catholic High School. In December 2018, Br. David Trichtinger was accused of abusing a student while working at Seton-LaSalle High School between 1985 and 1987. He also worked as an assistant principal at Central Catholic High School from 1991 to 1995.

Rev. John O’Brien also reportedly abused children during the mid-1960s while serving under the name Brother Firmilian John, FSC. He was later ordained as a reverend and died in 2004.

Kent School District

A Kent School District sexual abuse lawsuit claims substitute teacher Surinderjit Mauli inappropriately touched a fourth grader in late 2019. Mauli was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault over the claim, and the family then filed a civil suit against him. In 2024, bus driver Ansu Aoyub Konneh was charged with raping an 11-year-old girl multiple times before dropping her off at her home.

The district hired Kenney Polson, a jazz saxophonist, as a music teacher despite multiple credible allegations against him at other educational institutions around the country. He was later fired after multiple sexual harassment complaints from both children and adults.

Olympia School District

The recent trial of Jonathan J. Moore highlights how Washington school sexual abuse has gone unchecked by districts and administrators. The former Olympia teacher avoided prison for third-degree child molestation by accepting a plea deal.

A boy alleged that Moore groomed him while he attended Jefferson Middle School, where Moore taught, and then began abusing him when he became a freshman at Capital High School. Moore communicated extensively with him online and through text messages.

Cate School

Multiple California private school sexual abuse lawsuits have been filed against the Cate School and its educators after investigations found evidence of child sexual abuse spanning decades. According to a 35-page report released in 2021, seven named individuals were involved in child sex abuse.

This includes Da’Jon James, who was fired in 2020 and later arrested in Colorado for a different private school sexual abuse claim. An additional 10 unnamed individuals were also implicated in the abuse, which spans back to the 1960s.

St. Ignatius College Preparatory

A San Francisco private school sexual abuse lawsuit claims that Peter Devine, a former drama director, repeatedly abused a student when he was a freshman at the high school. The unnamed victim alleged that after hugging the student, Devine aggressively kissed him on the lips.

At another time, an employee saw Devine pin a student against the wall so that they couldn’t move. The principal’s response was to ban Devine from going backstage at the theater, which Devine ignored. The administration did not enforce the punishment.

Greenwich Country Day School

Connecticut school sexual abuse lawsuits filed against Greenwich Country Day School allege that former biology teacher Peter French abused children in the 1960s through the 1980s. The institution hired a law firm in 2018 to conduct an independent investigation, which found that two separate educators had abused at least eight children.

In 2023, one of the victims filed a claim, arguing that the administration was aware of the misconduct but failed to intervene.

Waterford Country School

In 1997, three former students filed Waterford Country School sexual abuse lawsuits, accusing the school of ignoring staff warnings about Jeffrey Rubenstein’s abuse in the 1970s. Unfortunately, Rubenstein died before he could be brought to justice.

Nicole Souza, a former supervisor, pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct in 2019 for an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old boy. She allegedly provided the minor with alcohol and had sex with him at areas around town

McDonogh School

McDonogh has been hit with dozens of Baltimore private school sexual abuse lawsuits for failing to intervene in child sex abuse perpetrated by multiple faculty members. Former dean Alvin Levy, former Spanish teacher Robert Creed, and two unnamed faculty members allegedly abused children between the 1940s and 1980s, with administrators turning a blind eye to multiple complaints.

Alvin Levy was indicted for other child sexual abuse charges in 1991, but he died before the trial was completed.

Saint Thomas Aquinas High School

New Jersey parents and children have accused Axel Palomares of sexual abuse at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, including producing child sexual abuse material for distribution. Reports claim that from April 2022 to at least March 2025, Palomares committed sexual abuse against children and filmed it in his classroom.

He was also accused of filming children in their undergarments without their knowledge, both on the campus and at locations throughout New Jersey. This included secret cameras in bathrooms at Bridgewater and Short Hills malls. Palomares was arrested in May 2025, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Thacher School in Ojai

More California boarding school sexual abuse lawsuits have targeted Thacher School in Ojai, which has been battling abuse allegations since 2021. That year, Thacher released an investigation into prior allegations of systemic child sexual abuse happening at the private school, and police uncovered 100 cases of misconduct at The Thacher School.

One victim then filed a claim in 2022 alleging that she was groomed and raped by her soccer coach, and that officials did not protect her. According to the victim’s attorneys, the coach had been previously accused of an inappropriate relationship with a student before being hired by Thacher School in 1987, but Michael Mulligan, the headmaster at the time, had shielded the coach from any repercussions.

The victim alleged that she asked the coach whether dropping a certain class would affect her college admissions. When he said it would, she began to cry, and the coach started to touch her inappropriately. She went to Mulligan for help, but he dismissed her concerns.

Miss Hall’s School

Miss Hall’s School sexual abuse lawsuits are fighting to make legislative change in Massachusetts, which would close statutory age of consent loopholes that allow predators to abuse children. Multiple alumnae have accused the institution of protecting known predator Matthew Rutledge, who resigned in 2024.

According to the claims, administrators encouraged teachers and students to mingle freely, including underage girls going into teachers’ apartments on campus. The facility’s isolated location enabled sexual predators to groom children and assault them without attracting attention, and the tight-knit community prevented survivors from speaking out for fear of retaliation.

What to Do If Your Child Was Sexually Abused at School

The statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse differ significantly depending on state regulations, making it crucial that you act as soon as possible. Follow these steps to ensure your child’s well-being and protect their legal rights.

Ensure the Child’s Safety: Ensure that the child is kept safe from the perpetrator, such as by temporarily removing them from the facility.
Reassure the Child: Children often feel guilty about being the victim of abuse, and they may worry that they will get in trouble. Let the child know that you believe them, that what happened was not their fault, and that they are not in trouble. Gently collect details about what occurred.
Report the Abuse: Contact the local police, who can help you make a report to your state’s child protective services agency. The police department typically has child sexual abuse specialists who can gather more information using a trauma-informed approach.
Seek Professional Resources: You can contact RAINN either by calling 1-800-656-HOPE or using their online chat service to be directed to resources, including counseling.
Seek a Forensic Exam: A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam provides forensic evidence that will be crucial if you wish to press charges. These are useful if there was sexual contact between the victim and the perpetrator.
Do Not Speak to Administrators or Perpetrators: Administrators may push you to settle for less than what the case is worth or ask you to sign confidentiality agreements that waive your rights to a trial. Do not sign anything without letting your sexual abuse attorney review the document.
Contact a School Sexual Abuse Lawyer: We are available 24/7 for free case evaluations. Everything you share with our attorneys is kept confidential.

What Damages Can Victims Recover in Child Abuse Cases?

Our sexual abuse attorneys will fight to ensure you receive just compensation, which can include the following:

Medical bills
Past and future lost wages
Physical pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Disability and disfigurement
Loss of normal life

If your case goes to court, you may also be awarded punitive damages, meant to punish the perpetrator and other defendants for failing to protect you from harm.

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

As members of the American Association of Justice (AAJ), our school sexual abuse lawyers have a proven track record of success in school and college sexual abuse lawsuits. We will guide you through the entire process, ensuring you have the highest chance of a successful verdict or settlement. Our services include the following.

Case Evaluation: During your confidential consultation, we will assess who may be liable for your suffering and identify what potential damages you can claim for the sexual abuse.
Investigation: Sexual abuse cases are often challenging because children may not disclose that they were harmed until months or years after the fact, during which time vital evidence may have been lost or destroyed. Our attorneys are members of the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys, known for our meticulous investigations. We will review thousands of documents, including medical records, incident reports, school records, employment records, surveillance footage, and more, in order to uncover the truth of what happened.
Witness Testimony: Young sexual abuse victims often struggle to recall important information due to trauma. Our compassionate and experienced attorneys can ensure the process is safe and empowering by using age-appropriate methods to gather details.
Expert Opinions: Our attorneys will consult with experts in the field of childhood sexual abuse to understand how the experience will impact the child’s future and what damages are most appropriate for your claim.
Negotiation: We are Million Dollar Advocates, renowned for securing settlements well above the national average. Our team will use all available evidence to push for the highest possible compensation.
Trial Representation: Settling out of court is the preferred option, as it spares survivors from having to face the perpetrator in court. However, if the institution refuses to negotiate a fair sum, we will file a complaint with the appropriate court and share your story with a judge and jury.

Our team works on a contingency fee basis, so you owe us nothing out of pocket. Scheduling a consultation is free, confidential, and no-obligation.

FAQs

What is a mandated reporter?

A mandated reporter is an individual who is legally required to report potential child abuse to the appropriate state agency and to law enforcement. Some states require all adults to report, regardless of their profession, while others identify certain professionals as being mandated reporters.

The specific definition of a mandated reporter varies by state, as do the reporting guidelines and penalties for failing to report.

What is Title IX?

Title IX prohibits schools that receive federal funding from engaging in sex-based discrimination, including allowing sexual abuse or harassment. These institutions must have reporting measures in place and prevent sex-based discrimination through training.

The US Supreme Court case Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools confirmed that plaintiffs can seek monetary damages for Title IX violations.

What constitutes child sex abuse and assault?

Child sexual abuse constitutes any behavior involving a child that is meant to gratify an older child or an adult. Generally, the adult will not consider the severe psychological harm that this can take on the victim, nor is it meant to please the child.

Sexual assault is a subset of sexual abuse that involves actual contact or penetration. In most states, any sexual contact with a child under a certain age is considered assault, as children cannot legally consent.

Sexual abuse typically begins with grooming, wherein the adult will gain the child’s trust. This could include offering the child gifts, treating them as special, and asking them questions about their interests. The groomer will then slowly introduce sexual topics and isolate the child from their friends and family. They may threaten that the child will get in trouble if they tell anyone.

Common types of sexual abuse can include inappropriate touching, fondling, sharing explicit images, forcing the child to watch pornography, or engaging in sexual contact.

What are the common signs of child sexual abuse?

Common signs of sexual abuse in children include:

Loss of interest in school and extracurricular activities
Sudden drop in grades
Fear of specific individuals, such as teachers or babysitters
Sexually transmitted infections or, in the case of teenagers, unintended pregnancy
In young children, regressive behaviors like thumb sucking or bedwetting
Bruising, cuts, and other injuries
Sexual promiscuity in teenagers
Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge
Chronic anxiety and depression
Nightmares and sleep changes

If your loved one is displaying one or more of these signs, contact a counselor or local law enforcement to further investigate the issue.

Contact Our Law Firm for a Confidential Consultation

Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning that our legal fees are deducted from your settlement. You do not pay any upfront fees for our services. Everything you share with your school sexual abuse lawyer is kept confidential and is protected through the attorney-client privilege.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.