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‘So Much Trauma’: Report Alleges Decades-Long Sexual Abuse at San Jose Catholic Girls’ School

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Updated with new information on July 20th (see end of article). 

Presentation High , a Roman Catholic girls’ school in San Jose, recently released a report by a Sacramento law firm reviewing allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct over 47 years, from 1970 through 2017. The report found credible allegations against three English teachers, a Spanish teacher, a religion teacher and an assistant water polo coach — none of whom work at Presentation High today. The Mercury News reported at least three of the faculty went on to work at other Bay Area educational institutions or with students.

The high school’s Board of Directors and its new school president hired the Van Dermyden Maddux Law Firm last fall, two years after allegations of past abuse surfaced in a 2017 Washington Post perspective by a former student, Kathryn Leehane.

She remembers her Spanish teacher at Presentation High teacher touching her inappropriately in 1990.

It had taken years for me to tell my story — of a gropey teacher who showed me pornography — to the police. And the well-meaning officer inadvertently confirmed what so many us who experience sexual assault have learned: We need to look elsewhere for resolution. We are on our own.

“You know, he put his arm around me. He brought my hand up to my breast. He kissed my hand,” she told KQED. Too scared to say anything at the time, she reported the teacher to school officials after she graduated in 1991; after she says, he assaulted her best friend. Leehane says she tried repeatedly to get the school to act — for a decade during her 20s. She sent letters. She met with the former head of the school, who she says “warned me to be careful with my words so as not to face a lawsuit.” Leehane says she wrote a letter to the Diocese of San Jose, but never received an answer. She eventually filed a police report, but was told the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution had run out. The teacher remained on staff for years.

Fast forward to 2017, after allegations about Harvey Weinstein emerged, launching the #MeToo movement. Leehane says her column in The Washington Post struck a nerve.

Survivors with allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct at Presentation High, called “Pres” in the community, began stepping forward. Leehane started a web site, MakePresSafe.com as a launching pad for survivors to document attempts at accountability with the school and a place to find resources.

School administrators could not have failed to notice, either, when in late 2019 Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 218 , the California Child Victims Act. The law expanded the statute of limitations for civil suits arising out of childhood sexual assault, extending the time claims can be filed beyond three years of discovery or age 26, and allowing for recovery of up to treble damages — triple the damages — against certain defendants.

Advocates for survivors of childhood sexual abuse say it usually takes decades for people to come forward and tell their stories, if they ever do.

Leehane keeps a spreadsheet with the names of about 40 survivors on it that she knows about. She says not everyone on her list spoke with the investigators from Van Dermyden Maddux, but the firm’s investigators did find her Spanish teacher — now dead — abused at least 13 other girls. Leehane knows of one more the report missed.

“They could have prevented so much abuse. They could have prevented so much trauma, but they let him stay there for 20 years,” she said.

Investigators interviewed 75 people, including administrators, faculty, staff, former students and board members. No current students were interviewed, according to the report, “because none have raised concerns or were witnesses.”

Presentation High received the final report on June 30. The school’s spokeswoman, Cherie Britt, wrote in an email that the administration notified both the police and “current known employers of those who were named and believed to be working with children” the same week the report was released to the public, on July 9.

Allegations Ignored for Years

Teachers, doctors, therapists and clergy all have a longstanding legal obligation to alert authorities to suspected child sexual abuse. California's mandatory reporting law makes it a crime not to.

It would be up to the District Attorney and the Attorney General — who is running an ongoing statewide investigation into reporting and allegations of abuse by clergy — to prosecute former Presentation High administrators who failed to report such allegations to law enforcement, let alone parents, according to attorney Mike Reck with Jeff Anderson & Associates . The firm has sued extensively — including the Vatican itself — on behalf of those sexually abused by clergy.

“(Presentation High) didn't suddenly grow a conscience and decide it was wrong to hurt children. Those children grew up and those children became survivors and those children spoke to the media,” Reck said.

Reck draws attention to what’s not in the report: six staff members remain unnamed, for lack of evidence, say the report’s authors. He says the report was “carefully crafted such that it only trickles out the little bit of information that was required by survivors,” adding this is a “systemic problem with the Diocese of San Jose and with the Sisters of the Presentation .” They are the Order of nuns who established not just Presentation High, but multiple schools around California, including several in the Bay Area.

Reck says the allegations of abuse against the unnamed people in the report should be thoroughly investigated for public safety. “Where do they live? What communities are they being exposed to? Have those communities been warned?”

A Lawsuit is Coming

Jeff Anderson & Associates plans to file suit against Presentation High — and the Diocese of San Jose — on behalf of a client alleging abuse by a nun at the school back in the 1970s. Reck said the firm is interested in more than the one woman. Through the process of discovery, “the identities and the whereabouts and history of every alleged perpetrator will be sought,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leehane said she is satisfied with the way the new president of the school, Holly Elkins, handled the investigation. When Presentation High made the report public, Elkins and the Chair of the Board of Directors released a letter outlining its findings, along with the changes the school is making to ensure student safety moving forward. “To the survivors of abuse, we deeply and sincerely apologize. The stark truth is that our school did not live up to its commitment to protect you,” the letter said. Additionally, the entire board of the school resigned, writing “The time is right to step aside and make room for new oversight and governance."

Update 7:00 p.m. 7/17/20: KQED contacted the Diocese of San Jose before publication of this story. The first statement, provided on 7/14, commended the Sisters of the Presentation and their high school for its independent investigation.  A spokesperson for the Diocese also wrote by email, " Please note that Presentation High School is an independent Catholic school and not part of our Diocesan schools. They have a Board of Trustees and Directors, as well as the religious order that make decisions and operate independently from the Diocese." 

New Investigation Announced (bold added) : The Diocese of San Jose sent out a second statement at 4:26 p.m. on Friday, 7/17, saying it is " disheartened to learn of the findings presented in the investigative report... In reviewing Presentation's newly released report, the Diocese has confirmed that it previously employed two of the individuals identified therein. Marian Stuckey worked for the Diocese as its Superintendent of Catholic Schools between 1993 and 2009. In addition, Jeff House worked as a teacher at Archbishop Mitty High School, a diocesan Catholic school, between 1982 and 1999. 

"The Diocese of San Jose will, therefore, be initiating an independent investigation to ensure proper accountability of any complaints, allegations, or reported incidents that may have occurred during their respective periods of employment with the Diocese." 

"The Diocese encourages any victim/survivor to come forward and report any improper conduct either historically or currently at Archbishop Mitty High School or any diocesan schools by taking the following steps: First, contact their local civil authorities. Then, once a report is filed with the local civil authorities, the individuals are encouraged to contact the Diocese's  Office for the Protection of Children & Vulnerable Adults at 408-983-0113. Reports to the Diocese are also accepted by a secure third-party reporting service at opcva.ethicspoint.com or call 1-844-372-1619. "

Update 7/20/20: The Diocese of San Jose sent out a correction about Marian Stuckey's title when she worked for the Diocese between 1993 and 2009. "She was hired as the Assistant Superintendent in 1993 and was promoted to Superintendent in 1999." 

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Watch CBS News

Presentation High in San Jose Launches Sexual Abuse Probe

September 27, 2019 / 8:07 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

SAN JOSE (KPIX) -- San Jose's Presentation High School is launching a long-sought independent investigation into decades of allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct by its staff.

"These are women who are dedicated to working for justice for children and for other women. So, it was disheartening that it took so long for them to take this step," said Kathryn Leehane, the initial whistleblower whose allegations have rocked the prestigious Catholic, all-girls school.

Several alleged victims and their families have stepped forward, accusing Presentation High of covering up incidents of sexual assault and misconduct by its staff and failing to report the allegations to police as required by law.

The school's president Holly Elkins released a prepared statement that reads, "The external investigation is the right thing for Presentation to do right now to get an impartial picture of what happened in the past so we can support survivors, protect and keep our students safe and help our community heal."

The school has hired the Van Dermyden Maddux law firm to conduct the investigation. School officials estimate it will likely take six to nine months to complete.

Leehane says her Spanish teacher fondled her breast and showed her a pornographic photo of a semi-nude woman while she was student in 1990. She says it took her several years to find the courage to report the incident to school staff. She claims she eventually grew disheartened when the investigation stalled and the teacher was allowed to remain at the school.

"I was crushed. I was devastated. It absolutely changed my career path. It changed my relationship with the church," Leehane said.

Leehane says she hopes the findings of the investigation will be used to change the culture at the school and prevent the abuse of future students.

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Investigation into past reports of sexual abuse at Presentation HS in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - An all-girls Catholic school in San Jose has launched an external investigation into reports of sexual abuse by teachers over the past several decades. 

Last year Presentation High School was hit with dozens of allegations made by former students that school administrators did not act on their complaints of sexual abuse by teachers and staff. 

The victims say they're still hoping for real justice, but they believe the investigation is a good first step toward getting it. 

Survivor Kathryn Leehane said, "It's absolutely a critical step in the right direction.  It's something I and thousands of community members have been asking for, for about two years."

Leehane is one of nearly 40 accusers who have come forward alleging abuse by 15 teachers and coaches over a period of 40 years. 

Attorney Ken Turek is representing another accuser and questions the timing of the investigation since a new law impacting the statute of limitations is on the horizon. 

"There's a part of me that applauds this and thinks it's really good. But there's also a part of me that says there may be an ulterior motive that's not being explained," Turek said. 

New school president Holly Elkins issued the following statement, "This external investigation is the right thing for Presentation to do right now to get an impartial picture of what happened in the past so we can support survivors, protect and keep our students safe and help our community heal."   

San Jose Inside

San Jose Inside (https://www.sanjoseinside.com)

Pres High Opens Investigation Into Sexual Misconduct Claims

By grace hase @grace_hase / september 26, 2019 6.

The school's new president has hired a law firm to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations.

Two years ago, Presentation High School hired a high-end PR firm to defend itself against claims that it mishandled sexual misconduct complaints by former students.

Today—after fierce public backlash and under entirely new leadership—the Catholic girls’ school has enlisted help from an independent law firm to investigate the allegations.

Recently-hired President Holly Elkins broke news of the probe Thursday evening  in a letter addressed to the school’s students and alumni.

“During the past three months I have spent a good deal of time listening to many of you and learning about what makes our Pres family and this school so special,” she wrote. “At the same time, I have also heard disturbing stories about past reports of sexual abuse and misconduct and learned of many unresolved questions that have divided our community the past two years. These reports of abuse and misconduct are very upsetting.”

The list of former students who say they suffered sexual misconduct at the hands of their teachers and coaches has grown dozens of names long since Pres alum Kate Leehane penned an essay about the problem that the  Washington Post published in 2017.

In her op-ed, the writer and activist detailed how she worked to find closure after detectives were unable to prosecute her case so many years before. Though the column didn’t mention the school by name, word quickly spread that Leehane was describing Presentation High. The article went viral.

Over the last year-and-a-half, Leehane, other survivors and community allies have criticized Pres administrators for failing to take action and violating California’s mandatory reporting laws for decades. They started a petition . They launched a website . They hired a lawyer to represent alleged victims. They drummed up media attention.

Leehane told San Jose Inside on Thursday that the just-launched inquiry is a “critical step in the right direction” and “represents the first real apology the survivors and the community have received.”

“However,” she added, “an external investigation differs from a criminal investigation. The San Jose Police Department still needs to investigate multiple crimes that are within the criminal statute of limitations—crimes including felony sexual assault, conspiracy and child endangerment.”

In January 2019, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office also declined to file charges against one of the school’s former water polo coaches. Presentation-grad Grace Leonis revealed last year that when she was 14-years old, her then-24-year-old coach Jenna Roe allegedly sexually assaulted her during a water polo tournament.

The decision to open the investigation came unanimously from Presentation High’s board of directors, according to Elkis. Deborah Maddux, of Van Dermyden Maddux Law Corporation, has been hired by the school to review “any reports of sexual abuse or misconduct by any Pres employee against any student through the history of the school.”

The law firm specializes in Title IX campus investigations and reportedly has no “direct connections” to Presentation.

“We are deeply sorry that any student was ever victimized during her time at Presentation and stand in support with all survivors of sexual abuse and misconduct,”  Elkins wrote. “During this trying time, we hold all of our sisters in prayer and pray for healing for the survivors, their families, and friends. We apologize for the pain and divide these events have caused our entire community.”

Below is a copy of the email sent today by Presentation High’s administration.

September 26, 2019 Dear Pres Family, During the past three months I have spent a good deal of time listening to many of you and learning about what makes our Pres family and this school so special. At the same time, I have also heard disturbing stories about past reports of sexual abuse and misconduct and learned of many unresolved questions that have divided our community the past two years. These reports of abuse and misconduct are very upsetting. As such, today I am writing to let you know that the Board of Directors and I have unanimously made the decision to launch an external investigation into any past reports of sexual abuse and misconduct and the handling of such allegations throughout the history of the school. While this is difficult to communicate, it is vitally important that we have a complete and accurate understanding of any employee misconduct that may have occurred in the past so that we can ensure this doesn't happen again and so we may best support and protect every former, current, and future member of this community. We are deeply sorry that any student was ever victimized during her time at Presentation and stand in support with all survivors of sexual abuse and misconduct. During this trying time, we hold all of our sisters in prayer and pray for healing for the survivors, their families, and friends. We apologize for the pain and divide these events have caused our entire community. We have retained a team of trained investigators led by Deborah Maddux from Van Dermyden Maddux Law Corporation to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into any reports of sexual abuse or misconduct by any Pres employee against any student throughout the history of the school. Deborah is a founding partner of Van Dermyden Maddux, a firm specializing in investigations into allegations of misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. Deborah's team specializes in conducting workplace and Title IX campus investigations and has decades of experience with similar matters for K-12 and higher education institutions throughout California. The firm has no direct connections with Presentation and has not been engaged by the school previously. Deborah will be assisted by Senior Associate Jennifer Doughty and Associate Lauren Becker. You can learn more about the firm and the investigative team on the firm's website, www.vmlawcorp.com . We encourage anyone who may have experienced, is aware of, or who may have any relevant information regarding any alleged sexual misconduct by any faculty or staff member to contact the investigators directly. You can leave a message for the investigators on a dedicated hotline number they set up exclusively for the Pres community at (800) 490-7513, or you can send an email to Anne Maas, the Firm's Investigation Coordinator, at [email protected] . We want to assure everyone that upholding confidentiality will be a high priority. There may be instances where certain information must be shared, however, we will carefully assess these issues as the investigation unfolds, and are committed to handling all information in a manner that protects confidentiality to the highest degree possible. Protecting the safety, welfare and health of our students is, and always will be, our primary concern. We have zero tolerance for sexual abuse and misconduct at Presentation. It is our policy and procedure to follow all relevant laws regarding any allegations of child abuse, including informing Child Protective Services or law enforcement as required by state law. We also conduct background checks through LiveScan and check the references of each potential employee before they are hired. In addition, our faculty participates in mandated reporter and abuse prevention training multiple times throughout the year, as well as state-required sexual harassment training. Last fall, Presentation established the Office of Prevention of Student Bullying, Harassment & Abuse, led by a Director who reports to the Board of Directors. More information about this program is available on our website. We intend to share the findings of the investigation with the Pres family when it is concluded. At that time, no alumnae or student names will be shared publicly without an individual's express permission. Thank you for your support of our efforts to examine our past in order to build and maintain a safe and thriving environment. Please join me in praying for our community. Sincerely, Holly Elkins, President

It takes guts to do what is right! THIS IS RIGHT! It is always best to take the bull by the horns than to run around. It is always painful, but it is also the only way to counter the harm caused by those that sexually abuse others. F@CK RAPE CULTURE!

I don’t think a Catholic girls high school can be credibly accused of encouraging and tolerating a “rape culture’.

The article refers to “sexual abuse and misconduct”. No mention of any rapes.

Catholic girls schools were — at least at one time — notorious for prudery. “Sexual misconduct” at a Catholic girls school wouldn’t move the needle at a Democratic activist club meeting.

Bubble, the survivor related to Jenna Roe stated penetration. Penetration does not only include the penis and vagina penetration act. Introducing fingers or other objects in another’s privates without consent is penetration and so rape. In this case the victim was a minor and so statutory rape. Rape culture means masking the actual events of a sexual misconduct, crime…as a way to minimize the harm and crimes from these criminals. Both men and women engage in these acts of rape culture. I have lived enough to understand that this sh!t happens everywhere and it will continue to happen. The goal about this social problem is to make the criminals and aiders accountable for their acts, so this type of abuse will be rare not the norm. The people of this school failed their mandated reporter duties. AND, Jeff Rosen as usual gave a pass to these privileged pedophiles. I feel this school has ties with Santa Clara University. Jeff Rosen graduated from this University. The ties of corruption are always part of ROSEN’s work ethics. RECALL DA JEFF ROSEN. F@CK RAPE CULTURE!

> Rape culture means masking the actual events of a sexual misconduct, crime…as a way to minimize the harm and crimes from these criminals.

Well, then, why not call it a “sexual misconduct culture”.

If Catholic girls schools were hives of “rape culture”, I think the Pope would have heard something and said something by now.

Defending the Catholic church, rich. Where there’s “prudery”, there’s rape culture.

Whenever long-hidden or uninvestigated allegations of sexual abuse at a school finally come to light, the institution sends out a press release expressing its sorrow at the occurrence and its commitment to investigating the allegations and bring the perpetrator to justice, which is exactly what they have NOT been doing.

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Presentation HS president resigns amid accusations she mishandled reports of sex abuse

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- On Wednesday, Presentation High School's president and former principal, Mary Miller, submitted her resignation to the school's board of directors.

Miller came under criticism in October 2017, after a letter from a former student was published to the Washington Post, accusing Miller of mishandling allegations of sexual abuse.

Since then, dozens of former Presentation students have come forward to report they were abused too.

RELATED: More sexual misconduct claims at Presentation High School in San Jose

"I have come to the realization my resignation is what is best for Pres," Miller said in her resignation letter. "The allegations of past sexual abuse continue to be a distraction for the school and bring negative attention towards Presentation."

ABC7 News met with Kathryn Leehane, one of dozens of former Presentation HS students to come forward about her alleged abuse.

On Wednesday, Leehane explained her experience, "While I was a student at Presentation, Mary Miller was my idol. She was my mentor."

So, when Leehane told school administrators about being groped by one of her teachers, and being shown an explicit picture by the same man, she expected action.

"When she failed me after I graduated, by not reporting my abuse to the police, I was devastated," Leehane said.

She explained spending seven years in the 1990's, trying to bring her alleged abuser to justice.

Not until October 2017 was her writing published in the Washington Post . Leehane's article detailing how she achieved peace.

She says Miller's resignation, nearly a year later, is a critical first step for both victims of sexual abuse, and for current and future students to ensure their safety is top priority.

Miller touched on that topic in her letter to the board, Wednesday.

"It is my sincere hope that my absence will bring some peace and allow the staff and new administration to focus on the success and well being of our students - which is our common goal," Miller wrote.

"I think it's really important for leadership to change," Beth Johnson told ABC7 News. "As much as I've loved and learned from Mary Miller."

RELATED: Accusations fly over SJ high school's handling of sexual abuse allegations

Johnson is also a former student who was taught by a Presentation HS Spanish teacher who is just one of a number staff members accused of abuse.

Johnson says she's devastated to hear about the allegations against Miller, and even more distraught to learn about the abuse her fellow peers say they've endured.

Leehane says after her story was published in October, more than 30 people came forward to say they were abused too. Many of those women confirming school administration, including Miller, did nothing to prevent.

"She did a lot of good for Presentation, there is no doubt about that," Leehane said. "But she also, through her failure to report child abuse, she victimized dozens of girls."

Miller's resignation is effective September 14th.

In the release about her resignation, Presentation High School added the school has since implemented a series of actions to increase measures to educate and protect young women.

Those measures include the following:

Conducting additional mandatory reporting training for all staff in January 2018 and

preparing two additional trainings on student safety in the 2018-2019 school year.

Implementing new policy updates (available on our website) recommended by an ad hoc

committee and approved by the Board.

Creating the Office of Prevention of Student Bullying, Harassment & Abuse, led by a

Director who reports to the Board.

Attending a mediation to listen to ideas on how to make Presentation an even safer

school in the future.

Applying updates to our Student Wellness Program to include student safety.

Focusing on healthy relationships, dating, and how to spot abuse in our annual Student Development Days

Bishop Patrick J. McGrath with the Diocese of San Jose released the following statement:

I commend the courageous women who have come forward over the past year to cast light upon the abuse that they and others experienced while students at Presentation High School. Through these difficult times, they have stood with one another in solidarity.

Over the past few months, I have met with some of the victims and listened to their stories and concerns. I hope that the announcement today by the Board of Directors of the change in school leadership will allow the victims, survivors, their families, and the Presentation High School community to take the next step on the path of recovery and wholeness.

The Diocese of San Jose is committed to a safe environment for all and extends support to victims/survivors and their families through the Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults - 408-983-0113.

Related Topics

• HIGH SCHOOL
• SEXUALLY ASSAULT
• SEXUAL HARASSMENT
• STUDENT SAFETY
• SEXUAL ASSAULT

Accusations fly over SJ high school's handling of sexual abuse allegations

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Presentation High scandal: First lawsuit…

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Scandal at presentation high: first lawsuit alleges girls school ignored sex abuse of theater student, friday filing claims theater director molested female student over two years, including during a trip to new york city, and was rebuffed when she tried to report it.

Photo Jacqueline Ramseyer/Bay Area News Group/May 31, 2017 Presentation High School in San Jose has filed to rezone their land from single-family residence to public/quasi-public.

Attorney Ken Turek speaks on Aug. 10, 2018, in San Jose, during a press conference about the lawsuit he filed on behalf of a former Presentation High School student claiming that the school and Principal Mary Miller did not effectively respond to the student’s reports that she was sexually abused by a former theater director. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)

The lawsuit, filed Friday on the victim’s behalf by San Diego-based attorney Ken Turek, names as defendants the school, current principal Mary Miller and Jefferey Hicks, who once served as the school’s theater director.

The lawsuit claims Hicks molested a 15-year-old sophomore on campus in 2003 and then again in 2004 during a theater trip to New York City, and had been grooming her for a sexual relationship. Parents have accused Presentation administrators of ignoring their complaints about Hicks, who years later while working at a private school in San Mateo was convicted of keeping child pornography at work and exchanging inappropriate messages with a 14-year-old student.

“When the student herself tried to put an end to the molestation, Hicks told her he would kill himself or have her arrested, and these types of threats and grooming behavior continued,” Turek said during a Friday news conference in San Jose. “Miller’s actions in not following the mandatory reporting laws allowed Hicks to have a clean teaching record when he left employment at Presentation.”

Presentation has been battling allegations since last fall of mishandling student complaints of sexual harassment and inappropriate advances by teachers, coaches and other staff. Since former student Kathryn Leehane wrote in the Washington Post about her own experience  at the San Jose Catholic school in the 1990s, a number of other former students have come forward with their own accounts, which they have detailed on  a website .

Turek said his client — this news organization does not identify victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly — has since become a successful therapist in New York.

“She is very accomplished outside, but you don’t see the inside struggles and challenges that she goes through every day because of what happened to her at Presentation,” he said. “We have filed this suit in large part to get justice for her.”

Sam Singer, a public relations consultant hired by Presentation, issued a statement in response to the lawsuit.

“The school has not been served nor seen the lawsuit, so we cannot comment on the specifics of the allegations. Presentation welcomes the opportunity to tell the school’s side of the story in a courtroom, rather than having to respond to misleading, and in a number of cases false, allegations posted on social media,” the statement reads.

The statement continues: “Presentation High School is no place for abuse.  As educators and fierce advocates of women’s rights, Presentation takes any allegation of abuse extremely seriously. Presentation condemns any instance of sexual abuse or misconduct. Presentation is proud of its efforts to educate and protect the students who attend our high school from sexual misconduct.”

The school has said that it responded appropriately to reports of sexual harassment or abuse, and that some of the accusations from the former students are different now than what was reported to the school at the time.

The lawsuit might appear to some as curiously timed, given that it was filed on the same day of an annual alumnae reunion at the Willow Glen-area campus, and before a fundraising gala set for Saturday.

Leehane, who has become the most prominent critic of Presentation amid this scandal, lauded the plaintiff’s courage.

“She’s extremely brave given what she’s gone through,” Leehane said. “I really hope it’s the beginning of dozens of survivors getting justice finally. Hopefully the board of directors and Sisters will finally hold enablers of sex abuse and Mary Miller accountable for their crimes and decades of violating reporting laws.”

California law requires school officials to report any suspected abuse of children to either police or a county child protective services agency. The accusers have detailed online at least 11 cases in which they say they reported specific abuse to school officials who did not report it to authorities for investigation as required.

The school and its critics have met with a mediator, and Presentation has since implemented new staff training in the law requiring school officials to report child abuse and created a new Office of Prevention of Student Bullying, Harassment, and Abuse to deal with complaints.

The accusations date back more than 30 years, some by women who have publicly identified themselves, while others remain anonymous. Leehane and at least three other women identified their alleged abuser as a former teacher who has since died who remained at the school until he retired.

At least three women, one of whom fully identified herself, complained of unwanted advances by a former math teacher. Other alleged abusers included a coach and a community involvement staffer. A couple of allegations involved reported off-campus abuse by others not affiliated with the school that the women said they told a school official about, but their complaints were never forwarded to police.

“The keeping of (Miller) as an administrator after they’ve been put on notice about these allegations is a continuing ratification of the wrong acts that took place in the past,” Turek said.

Staff writer John Woolfolk contributed to this report.

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Crime and public safety | congressional recount: evan low heads to november election as joe simitian is knocked off the ballot, crime and public safety, crime and public safety | san jose: berryessa district pays $10.3 million to settle teacher sex abuse lawsuit, ronald gardner is serving a 22-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting four students in the late 1990s and early 2000s; suit emphasizes he was allowed to work on an emergency credential for years despite complaints.

The settlement with the Berryessa Union School District was announced Tuesday by the San Jose-based law firm Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, which secured the payout on behalf of three students. Two of them testified in the prosecution of Ronald Dean Gardner, who was sentenced in December to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a total of four students.

Gardner taught at the school more than two decades ago and was plagued by allegations of inappropriate conduct with students. He was allowed to resign after a police investigation at the time failed to yield any criminal charges against him. In 2021, students came forward again with abuse allegations after Assembly Bill 218, which was in effect from 2020 to 2022, granted a one-time extension of the statute of limitations.

The lawsuit alleged that the district and school officials allowed Gardner to continue teaching and supervising students for years in the face of misconduct claims. The plaintiffs also contended the district kept him employed with an emergency teaching credential that was renewed each year, and failed to give him the additional supervision required for someone in those circumstances.

“How does somebody remain a teacher for that long, year after year after year? It’s almost as if they were bending over backwards to keep him,” plaintiff’s attorney Lauren Cerri said Tuesday. “He was reprimanded but they still allowed him to stay instead of hiring a credentialed teacher.”

“They could have gotten rid of him for any reason, but instead they chose to keep him despite the complaints, despite the red flags,” Cerri added, referring to the district’s wide authority to terminate Gardner because of his non-tenured status. “And after the complaints, you would think they would have eyes all over him.”

The school district did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

One of the victims who sued, referred to in the lawsuit as John Doe 1, said “this experience has been extremely difficult, forced me to relive my trauma and taken years of my life away.”

“The compensation I’ve received, in my opinion, is a moot point. There is no amount of money that will make up for abuse I endured and how that changed the trajectory of my life,” he said in a statement provided by the law firm. “If I’ve learned anything it’s that this is yet another example of our governmental institutions failing to protect kids and more evidence of our justice system skewed against victims.”

Another plaintiff, named John Doe 3 in the lawsuit, said in a statement: “After over two decades of suffering in silence, I feel like I’ve reached a level of vindication. Although I have a lot of work left ahead in order to heal, I feel like I have been given back the control I lost as a young child.”

Gardner was hired at Sierramont in 1996; he taught science and also coached the track team and advised the chess club at the school.

When Gardner was arrested in April 2021, San Jose police cited a 2003 police report in which a student alerted the school to being the subject of inappropriate touching and sexually explicit and aggressive language from Gardner. The recently settled lawsuit offered corroborating details, stating that Gardner was once reprimanded after a parent complained about him  making sexual innuendos to students and contends a teacher later claimed to have witnessed him kiss a student on the cheek.

In the lawsuit, John Doe 1 provided a particularly troubling anecdote about Gardner, claiming that the teacher was nearly caught while engaging in a sex act with him. He described how a janitor was about to enter Gardner’s classroom after school, and that Gardner “scrambled to pull up his pants” before the janitor walked in.

Doe claimed in the suit that the janitor saw Doe and Gardner alone in the classroom, but did not report the encounter. The result, Doe alleged, was that Gardner started blocking his door with a couch and posted a note warning people not to open the door or risk one of his classroom lizards or birds getting out.

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Presentation High School's Board of Directors President Retiring, Group Alleges She Failed to Report Alleged Sexual Abuse

By bay city news • published may 25, 2018 • updated on january 8, 2019 at 7:34 pm.

A former principal of Presentation High School in San Jose will retire as president of the school's board of directors at the end of the month, a spokesman for the school said Friday, in the wake of allegations by critics that she knew about sexual abuse at the school and failed to report it.

Marian Stuckey, who was the principal of Presentation High School from 1970 to 1977 and then again from 1984 to 1993 announced Friday that she is retiring from the board when her term comes to an end, spokesman Sam Singer said.

A group of Presentation High School alumnae, also known as Make Pres Safe, has alleged that sexual abuse and misconduct has spanned decades. That abuse seems to have begun in 1980, Make Pres Safe says on their "Timeline of Allegations" tab on the group's website.

Stuckey is named specifically in a case against former teacher John Fernandez from which a minor was allegedly repeatedly subjected to sexual misconduct for two years beginning in 1984.

Make Pres Safe alleges Stuckey knew about the abuse, which included inappropriate attention, touching, kissing and gifts, because of a letter to the administration. That letter was allegedly never responded to, and the case was never investigated, the alumnae group said.

A 15-year-old girl quit the junior varsity soccer team because of Fernandez's alleged misconduct, the group said, and Stuckey received a letter from her in 1991 that outlined the alleged abuse that took place during 1987 and 1988. That letter was allegedly not addressed either.

In 1990, a 16-year-old was allegedly sexually assaulted by Fernandez and told another student who notified a teacher. That teacher notified Stuckey, at which time Stuckey questioned the girl and suggested maybe she dreamt the assault, Make Pres Safe alleges.

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The allegations against Stuckey by Make Pres Safe also include a case of a 17-year-old who said she was inappropriately touched and shown pornography by Fernandez. The abuse allegedly received no response, and in fact just two years later, Fernandez was awarded the title of "Teacher of the Year."

Stuckey said in a statement that she is honored she "helped so many generations of young girls become leaders in our society."

The former principal said that she hopes the school will continue improvements and in response to criticism, to improve education and training.

The statement gave a synopsis of efforts the school has made to ensure students are "safe in a superb educational institution."

Recently, Presentation High School instituted initiatives like a new Office of Prevention of Student Bullying, Harassment and Abuse, an independent committee to develop recommendations for practices on harassment and updates on training on mandatory reporting practices and procedures, Singer said.

Previously, Singer and current school principal Mary Miller, who also allegedly failed to report alleged harassment, used the words "deceptive" "fraudulent" and "damaging" to describe the Make Pres Safe allegations.

Make Pres Safe organizers said in a statement, "We are pleased the Sisters of the Presentation and the board of directors are finally taking meaningful action to ensure child safety is the top priority at Presentation High School.

"Marian Stuckey will go down in history as one of the worst enablers of sexual predators in Northern California. We hope she finds it in her heart to pray for and apologize to the decades of victims she hurt."

Make Pres Safe organizers said, "We look forward to additional resignations and/or retirements from school leadership."

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