A Marin County school district settled four sexual abuse lawsuits on Friday for $17.5 million.
Legal representatives for the victims at the law firm Cerri, Boskovich & Allard said in a press release that Tamalpais Union High School District, in the Mill Valley area, agreed to pay the sum for crimes that were committed from 1999-2001 at Tamalpais High School by a tennis coach who is now in prison.
The coach, Normandie Burgos, was convicted in 2019 of 60 counts of sexual abuse and was sentenced to 255 years in prison.
Two victims sued the district, alleging negligence, and a Marin County jury agreed in 2022. The district appealed. Two other victims filed suits in 2023.
Mark Boskovich, one of the victims’ lawyers, said the testimony of one of the victims showed that the abuse was preventable.
“Under oath, Doe stated that a school administrator witnessed Burgos engaged in sexual misconduct with him. Instead of intervening or reporting the incident as required, the administrator made a joke about the situation and left without taking any action,” Boskovich said.
Tamalpais Union High School District’s superintendent, Tara Taupier, confirmed the suit had been settled but declined to comment on terms, beyond saying the district’s insurance policy would kick in after the district paid the first $1.1 million.
Taupier said in a statement that the school district was committed to the safety of its students.
“We have updated policies and practices for both staff and students over the twenty-four years since these alleged incidents occurred. All staff undergo mandatory training yearly, students are also provided annual learning modules on consent and appropriate boundaries and we have implemented confidential reporting systems and wellness and counseling programs,” Taupier said.
The school district in southern Marin County includes 4,800 students at three high schools and two alternative programs, according to its website.
The settlement includes $11.5 to the victim who first brought a suit against Burgos, $4.5 million for another victim, and $750,000 each for two other victims.
“There is no doubt that Burgos was enabled and emboldened to sexually abuse students,” attorney Robert Allard said. “Let’s hope that this District and others around the state learn that protecting students is more important than protecting their brethren teachers and coaches.”
According to the law firm, Burgos would trick students by saying he was performing body fat tests, before taking victims into a private room and abusing them.
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