Hillsborough County, FL - Hillsborough County Public Schools Bus Driver, Ronale Divad Johnson, Accused of Sexual Assault

School Bus Driver Ronale Divad Johnson Arrested for Sexual Assault

According to WFLA, a Hillsborough County Public Schools bus driver was arrested on a sexual assault charge involving a student.

45-year-old Ronale Divad Johnson is accused of assaulting a student on April 8th in an incident on a school bus. He was left alone with the student in the vehicle.

Johnson has been serving East Bay High School, Lennard High School, and Beth Shields Middle School since February 2020.

As of now, this is believed to be the only incident involving the discussed employee of the school system.

Legal Rights of Victims Sexually Abused by a School Employee

Attorney contributor, Michael Haggard, has a variety of experience representing victims and their families in civil lawsuits involving sexual assault. In an interview, Michael offers information on the legal options of victims that have been sexually abused by a school employee:

"Students attend school to learn and grow as individuals and find their passions in life. To this point, schools and leaders of school districts must protect their students from any harm and ensure that the teachers and staff working are committed to safety first and foremost. The myriad of cases involving students being sexually assaulted by school employees speaks to districts across the country not doing enough. The positions of power given to teachers and other employees throughout schools need to be appropriately administered as predators can often exploit adolescents sexually. Safety measures are necessary to avoid sexual assaults and allow students to be in a safe, nurturing environment at all times."

"An experienced sexual assault attorney can help victims and their families understand and explore their legal options further. Because of a school's legal obligation to protect its students, if a school fails to implement proper safety measures, they can be considered liable in a lawsuit for negligence. If prior accusations of misconduct have been brought to the forefront and the staff member is not sufficiently looked into, negligence can be occurring. Victims and their families may have grounds for a civil lawsuit against schools and their districts in cases of negligence."

Sources:

WFLA