SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- Another victim came forward Friday accusing former Sierramont Middle School teacher Ronald Gardner of sexual abuse. This makes five victims in total, according to the lawsuit filed in Santa Clara County.
In April 2021, Gardner, aged 63 at the time, was arrested for allegedly molesting two of his students at Sierramont Middle School from 2002 to 2005.
Another victim, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe 3, came forward alleging that Gardner sexually abused him in a locked classroom between 2001 and 2003, documents said.
“The abuse of all of these young boys could have been prevented had Gardner been properly supervised especially as an uncredentialed teacher,” attorney Lauren Cerri said in a news release. “Gardner was an uncredentialed teacher up until 2003, teaching with just an Emergency Permit.”
Gardner worked at Sierramont Middle School as a science teacher, track coach and chess club coach, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Gardner had a history of making dirty jokes and spending time alone with his victims before and after school, according to the lawsuit.
The first victim to come forward, John Doe 1, aged 13 at the time, alleged that Gardner would often isolate him in a classroom behind closed doors and, when nearly caught by a school janitor, allegedly began placing a couch in front of the door with a note warning that the door should not be opened because one of his birds or lizards could get loose.
Other allegations stated in the lawsuit allege that Gardner had taken the second victim to come forward, John Doe 2, into a back storage room and had him measure himself and that Gardner paid John Doe 2 five dollars to watch him urinate, according to court documents.
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Gardner, 63, was eventually charged with the alleged sexual abuse of four boys, according to the lawsuit. John Doe 3 makes five victims in total.
The Berryessa Union Elementary School District has also been named in the lawsuit for providing negligent supervision of the plaintiffs by district employees.
Cerri said there are likely more victims and encourages them to come forward.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/P9YWemT
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