The San Jose Unified School District has agreed to pay 42 million dollars to settle a sexual assault lawsuit that was brought by a former student.
The student, who is only named as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, accuses the school district of ignoring red flags and not doing enough to stop her former Spanish teacher, Ricardo Chavarria, from sexually assaulting her.
Reports indicate that the student met Chavarria when she was a sophomore and that during her junior and senior years, she was Chavarria’s teacher’s assistant.
The suit claims that Chavarria began grooming Doe and that it wasn’t until she was 17 that the sexual abuse began. Her lawsuit details the abuse lasted for nearly four months, stopping only after he got arrested in January 2019. Chavarria was eventually convicted on six counts of sexual assault against a minor.
The lawsuit points the finger at the school district for ignoring obvious red flags that could have prevented the abuse. Cristina Nolan, the lawyer representing the student explained, “My client was in the teacher’s class during periods that she didn’t need to be and others saw her with the teacher but didn’t say anything. It was clear that there were red flags and nothing was done about it.”
The suit also cites instances in which Chavarria was seen alone with the student on school grounds after school hours. Despite this, the suit claims officials failed to intervene. Ultimately, the suit accuses the school district of failing to “take reasonable measures to prevent sexual harassment, molestation, and abuse of minors.”
Following news of the settlement, Nolan shared a statement praising her client’s actions. “This very substantial settlement came about through the bravery of a young woman who was courageous enough to seek justice for the criminal acts she was subjected to at the hands of a trusted teacher, former San Jose Unified School District employee, Ricardo Chavarria.”
A spokeswoman for the school district also shared a statement. Jennifer Maddox wrote to the local news outlet, San Jose Mercury News, “We commend those that come forward to report unacceptable behavior.” Maddox adds, “When we learn of a violation of our standards, we respond immediately and hold the individual accountable in collaboration with the proper authorities.”
