California School Counselor Reportedly Earned $70,000 While on Paid Leave for Sex Abuse
School districts across California are facing increasing costs after a slew of sexual abuse lawsuits involving teachers across the state. These lawsuits keep coming, and school insurance premiums are climbing as a result. What makes this situation even more frustrating is the fact that many of these schools hired obviously dangerous teachers, failed to take action when victims reported abuse, or both. A recent report suggests that a California teacher earned $70,000 in paid leave while under investigation for 10 counts of sexual abuse. What can you do if your child has experienced something similar? Can a San Francisco school sexual abuse lawyer help you pursue justice and compensation?
Teacher Earns Tens of Thousands of Dollars While Under Investigation for Lewd Acts
In March of 2026, The Sacramento Bee reported that an elementary school counselor was still employed by the district despite being under investigation for 10 counts of lewd acts with children under 14. Since he was formally arrested by law enforcement more than one year prior, he has earned approximately $70,000. As of this writing, there is no indication that his employer, Charles Peck Elementary School, intends to terminate him anytime soon.
Officials say that two female students came forward and accused the teacher of abusing them when they were as young as 9 years old. The abuse allegedly involved the teacher taking victims to his private office, closing the blinds, and forcing them to engage in inappropriate conduct. One girl was forced to sit in the defendant’s lap, according to complaints.
By the time of his arrest in February of 2025, the defendant had already been on paid leave for six months. This followed a criminal investigation that reportedly took law enforcement officials months to finalize, leading to 10 counts of felony lewd acts (two of which allege force). The charges also caused investigators to broaden their scope, and they are now determining whether additional abuse occurred during the defendant’s time as a youth group leader at a local church.
When questioned about the nature of the defendant’s paid leave, the school district claimed that the reason for his absence is confidential. However, the fact that the defendant remains incarcerated (as of this writing) provides a pretty clear reason as to why he can’t act as a school counselor. The real question is whether the school district did enough to deter the abuse. The fact that the teacher is still receiving paychecks despite being behind bars may indicate that the district does not take these allegations seriously.
At the beginning of March, at least one of the victims decided to sue the defendant and San Juan Unified School District. In these kinds of lawsuits, the conviction of a defendant usually provides victims with a major advantage. Since the burden of proof is much higher in criminal court, a conviction indicates that the defendant committed the alleged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. The focus may then shift to why or how the district allowed this abuse to occur.
An earlier report published by KRCA 3 shortly after the defendant’s arrest suggests that he sent a sexually inappropriate text to a 15-year-old girl while volunteering at the aforementioned church. The teacher also reportedly has a history of working at schools in the Los Angeles area, and officials are urging anyone who might have been abused by this individual to come forward. This includes not only his former students, but also anyone else who might have interacted with him at churches, camps, Korean language schools, or other organizations.
Why Abuse by Counselors Is so Serious
While all child abuse is unacceptable, this misconduct is particularly serious when carried out by counselors. More so than a teacher or a coach, a school counselor is supposed to be someone children can trust during private discussions. These professionals are supposed to be confidantes who help children with serious mental health problems.
This level of trust and privacy provides predators with an obvious opportunity to take advantage of children. Counselors are allowed to speak with children behind closed doors with no one else present. School districts should know this, and they should be very careful about who they allow to take on these positions of trust.
When facing lawsuits involving abusive school counselors, districts may claim that they ran background checks and other formalities. However, this is not enough to avoid liability, especially when students have reported abuse in the past, and abusive employees continue to receive payment on leave.
Can a School Sexual Abuse Lawyer in San Francisco Help Me?
Whether your abuse occurred many years ago or you’re urgently trying to get help for your young student, a school sexual abuse lawyer in San Francisco can help. Your attorney can determine whether a lawsuit is possible, investigate the abuse, gather evidence, and represent you during every stage of settlement negotiations and (if necessary) litigation. Mary Alexander & Associates has a track record of securing multi-million-dollar settlements for victims of sexual abuse, and this firm may be able to assist you further. Contact Mary Alexander & Associates today at 415-433-4440 or visit us online to learn more.
