The Senators Firm, LLP Weighs in on the El Sereno Elementary School Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

A new lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court last week, the claims of which allege that A. Gonzalez – an El Sereno Elementary School teacher – engaged in sexually abusive behaviors with past and current students of the elementary school. As the lawsuit suggests, no fewer than 15 children were sexually abused by the teacher between the years of 2007 and 2011. Gonzalez has since resigned from his position at El Sereno, according to a spokesperson of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) – a fact that is unsurprising considering the number of prior reports of sexual abuse against young children attending different schools in the district.

The lawsuit, which has garnered the attention of media spokespersons and legal professionals alike, has also been commented on by our very own Deysi Cortez, Director of Latino Client Services at The Senators Firm, LLP. As reported by Cortez, the allegations "follow an all-too-familiar pattern of rampant sexual abuse on LAUSD campuses in largely poor, Latino areas." Such words hold heavy weight at The Senators Firm, where our attorneys represent dozens of abuse victims at LAUSD schools such as George de la Torre, Miramonte, and Telfair. Repeatedly, we have called for an explanation from the LAUSD as to why Latino children at LAUSD schools seem to be disproportionately victimized in acts of sexual abuse. We have yet to be given an explanation, particularly one that would satisfactorily justify the sexual mistreatment of these children.

While unsatisfying, statements from the LAUSD have been released regarding the upswing in sexual abuse felt by Latino children in the district. According to representatives from the district, new procedures have been implemented to combat the mass abuse of students by one former Miramonte Elementary School teacher, the allegations of which arose just over one year ago. In addition, the district paid approximately $27 million to settle 1 group of Miramonte lawsuits. However, as our Attorney Ron Labriola points out, the district has provided little – if any – information to the public in the form of an explanation as to why the sexual abuse at Miramonte and other campuses in the Los Angeles School District was not detected earlier or prevented altogether.

Speaking on behalf of the scandal, Labriola said, "The district needs to do more than pay off victims…parents can't be assured that their kids are safe at LAUSD schools until the district acknowledges and explains the breakdowns in the system that led to these tragedies in the first place." It is these types of inconsistencies that have inspired our legal team to keep aggressively digging into the allegations that have been made. Our investigation into new allegations involving El Sereno Elementary School and other nearby elementary schools will continue as more allegations and evidence are gathered. If you have information or you know someone who was sexually victimized by a professional in the LAUSD, please do not hesitate to contact a California sexual abuse lawyer at our office. The Senators firm can be reached 24/7.