California Private School Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Compensation for Victims of Sexual Abuse in California Private Schools

At Injury Lawyer Team, we represent survivors in California private school sexual abuse lawsuits, working to hold negligent schools, staff, and administrators accountable. Our law firm helps survivors pursue justice through lawsuits, recover compensation for the harm they endured, and take legal action that can prevent future abuse from occurring.

No student should ever experience sexual abuse in a place that promises safety and education. Sadly, many survivors have come forward with sexual abuse lawsuits against California schools, showing how institutions failed to keep students safe from harm. 

Allegations of Abuse and Failing to Protect Student Safety

California schools, both public and private, have faced waves of sexual abuse allegations after survivors courageously came forward with disturbing accounts of misconduct.

Many reports detail how school administrators failed to report abuse, ignored complaints, or placed institutional reputation above the safety of students. The resulting lawsuits demonstrate how civil action holds schools accountable and empowers survivors to pursue justice under California law.

California School for the Deaf Sexual Abuse

In 2021, several survivors filed lawsuits against the California School for the Deaf in both Fremont and Riverside, alleging decades of abuse dating back to the 1990s. Plaintiffs described being molested by teachers and residential staff while administrators turned a blind eye. One survivor reported abuse to staff in 2006, yet no investigation followed, and the accused remained employed.

Attorneys argue these failures violated the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), which requires mandated reporters to notify law enforcement or child protective services when they suspect child abuse. These lawsuits illustrate how silence and inaction allowed these abuse cases to persist unchecked.

Clovis Unified School District Sexual Abuse

In the Clovis Unified School District, accountability came years after abuse occurred. In 2012, a Freedom Elementary School teacher was arrested for sexually abusing a student and possessing child pornography. Civil litigation revealed that administrators had previously received warnings about inappropriate conduct but failed to act.

The district ultimately paid a $2 million settlement in 2013 to the victim’s family, underscoring the devastating impact of ignoring red flags. This settlement remains one of the largest in Central California for a single molestation case, highlighting how lawsuits can force institutions to confront systemic failures.

La Sierra Academy Sexual Abuse

La Sierra Academy, a private Seventh-day Adventist school in Riverside, in the Greater Los Angeles area, became the focus of multiple lawsuits in 2020. 

Survivors alleged decades-long abuse at the hands of faculty and church-affiliated staff. According to the plaintiffs, administrators routinely transferred suspected abusers to new roles instead of reporting allegations to authorities, effectively covering up the misconduct.

The lawsuits claim this negligence endangered current students but also created conditions for additional abuse to occur. Survivors argue these failures amount to institutional betrayal, leaving deep psychological scars long after the abuse occurred.

In 2025, A former school counselor at La Sierra Academy in Riverside was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after hiding cameras in student bathrooms and producing explicit materials involving minors, underscoring the severe consequences of failing to protect student safety.

Tamalpais High School Sexual Abuse

One of the most devastating public school cases involved the Tamalpais Union High School District in Marin County. Former tennis coach Normandie Burgos was convicted in 2019 on 60 counts of child molestation and sentenced to 255 years to life in prison. Lawsuits revealed that Burgos had been accused of misconduct for years but remained employed.

In 2022, a jury awarded survivor Alex Harrison $10.5 million, including $1 million in interest, for the trauma he endured. By 2025, the district finalized a broader settlement of $17.5 million across four survivors: Harrison received $11.5 million, another student $4.5 million, and two others $750,000 each. 

The case exposed systemic failures by administrators who repeatedly ignored allegations, leaving students unprotected for years.

California Boarding School Sexual Abuse Cases

Prestigious boarding schools in California have also been implicated in widespread misconduct. At Cate School in Carpinteria, an independent investigation released in December 2021 confirmed substantiated sexual misconduct by nearly 20 former faculty and staff spanning from the 1960s through the early 1990s. Survivors described being coerced into sexual relationships and silenced by a culture of secrecy.

In response, Cate created a Sexual Abuse Survivors Therapy Fund administered by RAINN in October 2021 and committed to policy reforms, including mandatory reporting protocols, external oversight, and increased transparency. The investigation, though decades late, demonstrated how historical youth sexual abuse can finally come to light and result in institutional accountability.

What California Laws Govern Private School Sexual Abuse Claims?

Survivors of abuse in private schools are protected under both California law and federal law. These statutes impose strict duties on educators, administrators, and institutions, and they form the foundation for many lawsuits filed across the state.

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA)

CANRA (Cal. Penal Code §§ 11164–11174.3) makes teachers, coaches, administrators, counselors, and other school staff mandated reporters. If they know of or reasonably suspect child abuse, they must immediately report abuse to law enforcement or child protective services.

Failure to comply is not just a crime, but it can also create grounds for civil liability when survivors bring sexual abuse lawsuits. Many lawsuits allege that abuse continued precisely because schools ignored CANRA obligations.

California Education Code

The California Education Code (§§ 200–234.1) establishes broad protections for student safety, requiring schools to maintain policies against harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct. Specified sections specifically prohibit schools from allowing sex-based harassment or retaliation against students who report misconduct.

When administrators ignore allegations or retaliate against survivors, they may be sued for violating these protections. In school sexual abuse lawsuits, plaintiffs often argue that schools breached their statutory duty to provide a safe educational environment.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Title IX (20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.) is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal funding, which includes many California private schools. Courts have long held that sexual harassment and assault fall within Title IX’s definition of discrimination.

Schools that receive reports of sexual abuse cases but fail to take appropriate action may face Title IX lawsuits. These claims can be pursued alongside state-law claims, strengthening survivors’ chances of holding institutions accountable.

What Damages Can Sexually Abused Victims Recover?

Settlements and verdicts in California vary widely depending on the facts of the case, but recent data shows that survivors often recover substantial compensation. The median award is about $1.46 million, meaning half of the cases resolved above that amount and half below. The average recovery is higher, around $5.5 million, reflecting the impact of large jury verdicts and institutional liability cases.

Reported outcomes range from just over $10,000 for less severe claims to as much as $135 million in cases involving egregious misconduct and multiple victims. These figures highlight both the seriousness of these claims and the courts’ recognition of the lasting harm caused when schools fail to keep students safe.

In addition to understanding settlement ranges, survivors should know the categories of damages they may be entitled to pursue. Courts in California allow recovery for both tangible financial losses and the profound emotional harm caused by sexual abuse, ensuring survivors can access the resources they need to heal and rebuild their lives.

Types of Recoverable Damages for Sexual Assault

Economic Damages

These compensate for direct financial losses linked to the abuse:

• Past and future medical bills
• Therapy and psychiatric treatment costs
• Lost income and reduced earning capacity
• Ongoing expenses for long-term care or counseling

Non-Economic Damages

These address the emotional and psychological toll:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress (depression, anxiety, PTSD, shame, or fear)
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of intimacy or consortium for adult survivors

Punitive Damages

In cases where schools, leadership, or staff acted with reckless disregard, such as covering up allegations or failing to report abuse, courts may award punitive damages to punish the misconduct and deter future violations.

Who Can Be Held Liable in School Sex Abuse Cases in California?

In California, school sexual abuse liability often extends beyond the individual abuser. Survivors may bring a lawsuit in California against:

• Perpetrators – teachers, coaches, staff, or volunteers who commit abuse.
• School administrators – principals, headmasters, or board members who ignored or concealed sexual abuse cases.
• Private schools and institutions – held accountable for negligent hiring, supervision, or failing to report abuse as required under CANRA.
• Affiliated organizations – such as churches or contractors tied to the school.

By pursuing claims against both individuals and institutions, survivors increase their chances of justice, compensation, and reforms to protect students from future abuse.

How Long Do Victims Have to Take Legal Action?

Key information for survivors of sexual abuse is how much time they have to seek justice through the courts. In California, both criminal and civil lawsuits are governed by statutes of limitations that set clear deadlines, though recent reforms have greatly expanded survivors’ rights.

Criminal Charges

Under California Penal Code § 801.1, prosecutors can file criminal lawsuits for sexual offenses against minors until the survivor’s 40th birthday. In cases where DNA evidence identifies a perpetrator, there may be no age limit, meaning charges can be brought at any time. These rules recognize the unique barriers survivors of childhood sexual abuse face in disclosing what happened.

Civil Lawsuits

For civil claims, California law is even more survivor-friendly. AB 452 abolished the statute of limitations for sexual abuse of minors under Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1. This means survivors can file a sexual abuse lawsuit in California regardless of their age.

However, if a plaintiff is 40 or older at the time of filing, they must submit a certificate of merit signed by their attorney and a licensed mental health practitioner, confirming that the claim has a reasonable legal and factual basis.

Together, these legal timelines ensure survivors have both criminal and civil avenues available to pursue accountability and compensation for the harm they endured.

How Injury Lawyer Team Can Help

At Injury Lawyer Team, we fight for survivors of sexual abuse in California. Schools often deny responsibility or hide allegations, but we work to uncover the truth and hold them accountable.

Our law firm’s services include:

• Investigating abuse and gathering evidence
• Filing lawsuits and coordinating with prosecutors
• Protecting survivor confidentiality where possible
• Pursuing maximum compensation for medical costs, therapy, lost income, and emotional harm

Consult Our Law Firm Today

If you or a loved one experienced school sexual abuse, our attorneys are here to help. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win—and offer a free, confidential consultation.

Take the first step toward justice. Contact Injury Lawyer Team today to speak with an experienced attorney about your eligibility to file a sex abuse lawsuit. 

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.