California AG issues legal alert to address sexual misconduct in education
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a legal alert on Wednesday to remind K-12 school districts that they are obligated under state law to stop, prevent, and remedy sexual misconduct in education programs and activities.
According to U.S. Department of Education data, in the 2020-21 school year, school districts across the country reported 2,700 incidents of sexual assault, 350 incidents of rape or attempted rape, and 17,000 allegations of harassment based on sex.
"As a father, I am enraged, and as your attorney general, I am doing something about it," Bonta said. "While the legal obligations and rights we're sharing today aren't new, it's become clear that we need to do more to ensure that schools, families, and students are aware of them."
Between 2019 and 2023, California school districts paid an estimated $2 to $3 billion to student victims of sexual abuse by employees.
During the news conference, Bonta brought up a recent stipulated judgment between CA DOJ and the El Monte Union High School District that addressed the district's patterns of mishandling allegations. The settlement requires a four-year, court-supervised overhaul of the district's procedures after a DOJ investigation found over 100 cases of misconduct, dating back to 2018, were not properly handled.
"If anyone reports that a child is sexually harassed, assaulted, or abused in connection with a school, that school district has a legal responsibility to stop the misconduct, remove any hostile environment, address the harm that already happened, and prevent any more harm from happening," Bonta said.
Parents and students may report any incident to any school employee, and the district cannot ignore a report for any reason, he said.
The legal alert also discusses school districts' obligation under recently enacted Senate Bill 848 to develop a comprehensive school safety plan by July 1, 2026, to protect children from abuse, neglect, or sex offenses.
Attorney General Bonta launched a new webpage and Know Your Rights alert to let California families and students know their rights under state law.
