San Jose, California - Pioneer High School Teacher Ricardo Chavarria Arrested for Sexual Assault of Student in Classroom

San Jose Teacher Accused of Classroom Sexual Assault

Last Updated: 7/13/2020

A Spanish teacher at Pioneer High School in San Jose was arrested on Tuesday, January 22 for allegedly sexually assaulting a student in a classroom at the school.

37-year-old Ricardo Chavarria was arrested during school hours at the high school located at 1290 Blossom Hill Road. School Spokeswoman Lili Smith has announced that he will not be rehired within the school district.

According to the police, a staff member from Pioneer High School called them to report the alleged assault on Tuesday. Authorities believe that Chavarria sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in his classroom between November and December.

Chavarria was booked at Santa Clara County Jail and is expected to be charged with four felony counts of sexual penetration with a person under the age of 18 and three felony counts of oral copulation.

Individuals with information related to this case and anyone with info on similar incidents has been asked to contact Detective Frank Montoya at (408) 537-1382 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867.

Legal Options for Survivors of Teacher Sexual Assault

Attorney Contributor Jason Amala has experience in representing survivors of sex abuse in public schools. Bobby has offered to share his commentary on what is required for a survivor of sexual abuse at a school to file a civil lawsuit:

“Teachers are generally viewed as upstanding members of the community, which is what makes it difficult to spot sex offenders who have taken the position. Nonetheless, schools have a duty to provide a safe environment for their students and to exert their best effort in preventing sexual abuse against their students. When schools can’t show that they have made an effort to prevent sexual abuse, they may be held liable for negligence. For example if a school neglected to do a proper background check on an applicant and hired a registered sex offender who then inappropriately touched a student. In that situation, the victim could have ground for a civil lawsuit against the school or school district.”