|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A civil lawsuit against the San Ramon Valley Unified School District alleging that it failed to protect two former students from sexual abuse at the hands of a former teacher is no longer set for a trial later this year following a settlement agreement reached this month.
The $6,999,900 settlement was finalized between attorneys for the district and the two anonymous “Jane Doe” plaintiffs on July 22, more than a year after the lawsuit was initially filed in February 2024 and less than two months before it had been set for a jury trial on Sept. 15.
Ryan Weible, a former theater teacher with the district and at Diablo Valley College, faced allegations of sexual abuse by the two anonymous plaintiffs during their time as his students from 2009 to 2011.
“Despite obvious indicators of inappropriate conduct, the district failed to intervene, investigate, or report its suspicions to the appropriate authorities,” Lauren Cerri, an attorney for the plaintiff, told DanvilleSanRamon. “They neglected crucial disciplinary procedures and failed to provide staff with adequate training to identify or respond to grooming and abuse. This allowed Weible’s predatory actions to continue unchecked for years.”
“We are unable to speak to the specifics of the case, which relates to allegations dating back approximately 15 years,” SRVUSD Superintendent CJ Cammack said. “However, when an adult, trusted to work with students, is accused of betraying that trust, it is deeply disturbing, and we acknowledge the devastating impact such a betrayal can have on the victims.”
Weible has denied any wrongdoing according to court filings, and was dismissed from the case in December for what attorneys for the plaintiffs said were “strategic reasons.” Meanwhile, allegations against the district for its alleged role in failing to identify or prevent the alleged abuse moved forward in court until last week.
“The district prioritized its reputation over student safety and accountability,” Jane Doe 1 said in a statement. “SRVUSD protected Weible rather than fulfilling their duty, threatening more than just myself and my co-plaintiff but enabling Weible to endanger multitudes of students.”
In an amended complaint submitted once the second plaintiff in the case stepped forward in March 2024, attorneys allege that the district failed to prevent or investigate alleged sexual abuse by the former teacher on school grounds until 2012, after both plaintiffs had graduated, thereby breaching its duties to protect and care for students.
Attorneys for the district argued in their response to the 2024 amended complaint that their client acted in “good faith” and were thereby entitled to immunity, and that all allegations should be barred from the court due to an “unreasonable delay in commencing this litigation,” more than a decade after the alleged abuse.
The district’s defense further contended that any harm caused was by “in whole or in part, by the independent, wrongful acts of third parties,” and that the district “did not know and had no reason to expect that any District employee” would engage in criminal behavior.
In a statement following the settlement, Jane Doe 1 emphasized her disappointment in the district’s alleged mishandling of the situation.
“Parents deserve to be able to drop their kids off at school and know that they are safe – and that the faculty and staff will do the right thing and follow the policies they claim they follow,” she said. “SRVUSD failed and instead of taking accountability and action to prevent this from happening again, they aided a predator to protect themselves despite the danger he poses.”
Cammack said that while the district has ramped up safeguards in its hiring practices, responses to student concerns, and via staff training in recent years, “even at that time, SRVUSD followed all legally required hiring practices.”
“Student safety remains our highest priority, and our thoughts remain with those impacted,” Cammack said. “This case does not reflect the high quality of our SRVUSD teachers and staff. I am confident that our current staff are committed to acting responsibly and with vigilance in support of student safety.”
