California AG Rob Bonta urges schools to strengthen protections against sexual misconduct

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 11:26AM PT
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a legal alert to K-12 school districts across the state reminding them of their obligation to stop, prevent and remedy sexual misconduct in education programs and activities.

Bonta held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

The alert comes as the California Department of Justice continues efforts aimed at protecting students and holding school systems accountable.

Bonta's office recently completed an 18-month investigation into the El Monte Union High School District, which resulted in wide-ranging reforms and a settlement of sexual abuse allegations.

According to Bonta, a teacher in the district engaged in a long-standing pattern of sexual harassment and abuse. The teacher was involved in at least four sexual relationships with students, dating back as far as 20 years.



Bonta said California school districts paid an estimated $2 billion to $3 billion to student victims of sexual abuse by employees between 2019 and 2023.

"We send our children to school expecting that they will be safe and they will be protected. Parents should expect that and should have deliveries on that promise by the schools. Anything that interferes with that, anything that jeopardizes a student's safety and violates the community's trust in their schools will not be tolerated," Bonta said.
The California Department of Justice has also launched a new website to help families understand their rights related to sexual misconduct in schools.

The site is available at oag.ca.gov/bcj/schools.

To learn more, click here.

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