Fresno Unified hired sex offender to coach students, claim says

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A assertion for damages alleges the Fresno Unified School District and Fresno High School permitted a convicted felon and registered enactment offender to beryllium astir students.

The assertion besides alleges the schoolhouse did not behaviour mandatory fingerprint clearance oregon inheritance checks. The assertion names Dusty William Lewis arsenic the unpaid softball manager who made pistillate athletes uncomfortable.

“As an attorney, I conscionable look astatine it that nether California law, nationalist schools benignant of person a ineligible and motivation work to support children from this benignant of what we telephone foreseeable harm,” the claimant's lawyer Joe Barrett said.

Legal documents amusement that a pistillate pupil had uncomfortable interactions with Lewis. According to Megan’s Law, Lewis is simply a registered enactment offender aft being charged with rape by unit oregon fearfulness successful 2001. He was successful situation until 2008.  

“When idiosyncratic is allowed amongst the children that should ne'er person been there. And harm occurs, you person to bash thing astir it. We would emotion to enactment things retired and marque it a safer schoolhouse district,” Barrett said.

The claimant alleges Lewis was fixed unsupervised entree to pistillate pupil athletes astatine practices, games, and squad activities. During practice, the documents allege that Lewis initiated inappropriate carnal interaction with the claimant, including grabbing and moving her assemblage nether the guise of instruction. 

“I'm a begetter of four. You know, I conscionable judge that it's truly astir a cardinal work of each California schoolhouse territory to support its students safe,” Barrett said.

The assertion alleges that the territory and schoolhouse are liable for things similar negligent hiring and nonaccomplishment to comply with acquisition codes. 

“Education code, I deliberation it's similar 44807. That's 1 of the ones that astir apt is going to get discussed successful this case. It's a codification that fundamentally says that the teachers and the administrators and those successful the schoolhouse are expected to, you know, supervise and support the students successful their custody,” Barrett said.

Dusty William Lewis

The claimant besides alleges she told schoolhouse staff, similar the principal, vice principal, diversion director, and coaching staff, astir Lewis, but she was ignored and dismissed.

“When adults are successful a presumption of spot and they disregard warnings provided by the parents oregon they neglect to bash mandatory screening laws, fingerprinting, basal investigations, which are benignant of embedded successful the authorities codification and the acquisition codification to support the kids safe, past they fail,” Barrett said.

YourCentralValley.com reached retired to Fresno Unified for comment, but has not heard back. The taxable was besides not discussed during Wednesday's schoolhouse committee meeting, nor did anyone bring it up during nationalist comment.

The assertion besides shows that owed to Lewis’ actions, the claimant suffered affectional distress and mislaid spot successful schoolhouse officials.