Background: Leigh High School in Santa Clara, Calif., where a former student says she was sexually assaulted and forced to have an abortion (via Google Maps). Inset: Shawn Thomas (via the law firm of Cerri Boskovich & Allard LLP).
A California high school teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student and, after impregnating her, forcing her to get an abortion.
According to a lawsuit filed Wednesday, a woman identified only as “Jane Doe” has sued Shawn Thomas, a teacher at Leigh High School, for allegedly sexually abusing her when she was a 15-year-old student there in 2003. Thomas — who was arrested in March and charged in connection with the alleged abuse — groomed Doe for sexual abuse by paying “special attention” to her, the complaint alleges.
“Thomas gave Plaintiff special attention including taking walks with her around the football field, talking to her about her personal life including her parents’ divorce, touching Plaintiff’s shoulder(s) frequently on school grounds, requesting Plaintiff wear a skirt to school, and spending time alone with Plaintiff on school grounds,” says the complaint, which has been reviewed by Law&Crime. Thomas also allegedly drove the plaintiff “to his home and to his friend’s home where he engaged in rape/sexual intercourse and oral copulation with Plaintiff before transporting her back to the LHS campus during school hours.”
The assault, according to the complaint, resulted in pregnancy.
“In or about the 2002-2003 school year, while Plaintiff was a freshman at LHS, Thomas used his position of trust and authority as Plaintiff’s Opportunity teacher to gain access to her, groom her for his sexual advances, and rape/sexually assault her numerous times including on school grounds in his portable classroom and a storage room within the boys’ locker room and impregnate her at age 15,” the lawsuit says.
Thomas “forced her to abort the baby, resulting in an abortion at age 15,” the complaint says.
The plaintiff went to the dean of the school with the news of her pregnancy, but was met with a chilly response — perhaps because the dean herself was Thomas’ wife.
“The Dean of LHS responded by asking Plaintiff how Plaintiff could do this to her after all she had done for Plaintiff,” the complaint says. “Upon information and belief, no district employee, including the Dean of LHS, reported the abuse to law enforcement or CPS nor did any district employee take any action to protect Plaintiff or terminate Thomas.”
Not only did Thomas continue teaching at the school after that, he continued sexually abusing the plaintiff, the complaint says, including on school grounds.
The lawsuit says that as of the 2002-2003 school year, the school district “knew, had reason to know, or was otherwise on notice that Thomas engaged in highly inappropriate grooming behavior with his minor female students, including Plaintiff, which created a risk he would sexually assault one of them including but not limited to: being overly touchy with minor female students, making inappropriate and/or sexual comments to minor female students, spending time alone with minor female students, and transporting minor female students to and from LHS campus in his personal vehicle during school hours.”
The plaintiff alleges sexual assault of a minor, negligent hiring by the school district, and negligent supervision. She seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
California criminal records show that Thomas has been charged with multiple felonies, which Jane Doe’s lawyers say include rape and sexual assault of a minor.
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In a press release, Jane Doe’s attorney Lauren Cerri said that Thomas hasn’t been hindered in any way since allegedly abusing her client.
“Shawn Thomas is well known in the South Bay Area athletic community,” Cerri said. “He was a 3-sport athlete at Leigh High School and was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also played football at San Jose State University. He served as the football coach at Leigh HS from 2001-2010 and also served as an assistant coach at Valley Christian HS San Jose in 2012 before his current coaching assignments at Los Gatos High School.”
The lawyer noted that Thomas was still teaching at Leigh High School at the time of his arrest, and she had harsh words for the school district.
“This school district bent over backwards to protect this esteemed coach and the reputation of it’s football program over the safety of the children entrusted to it’s care,” she said in an email sent to Law&Crime. “She spoke up. It was a cry for help. No one listened to her. Instead, they blamed her.”
Cerri, who said in a press release that she believes there may be more victims, says her client will carry permanent scars from the experience.
“The abuse has affected every aspect of her life,” she said. “It has changed her life’s trajectory. She is not the same person. She never will be.”
In comments through her attorney, Jane Doe said that it took decades for her to come to terms with what happened.
“I blamed myself for the last twenty years,” she said. “I am just now coming to the realization that it was not my fault. I was just a child. I tried to speak up. The school district failed to protect me.”
Representatives for the Campbell Union High School District said in an email both Shawn Thomas and his wife are on administrative leave.
“Although the current leadership team was not at the District in 2003, they take the allegations seriously and are deeply concerned,” spokesperson Jada Chiu said in an email.
Chiu added that the school district is cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation.
“Our foremost commitment remains the safety and well-being of our students, families, and staff,” Chiu said. “We will continue working with law enforcement to protect our community and support any victims in this case.”
The attorney listed as Thomas’ representative in the criminal case did not immediately reply to Law&Crime’s request for comment.
Court records show that Thomas has a court appearance scheduled for June 5.
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