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According to WAVY News 10, a teacher has been put on administrative leave amid allegations he sexually assaulted a student at King's Fork High School located at 351 Kings Fork Rd, Suffolk, VA 23434.
On Saturday, September 18, 2021, 60-year-old Bruce Todd Gidley was arrested on charges that he sexually abused a student under his care as a high school teacher. The victim informed her mother that the abuse took place on the campus of the high school. Gidley has been a teacher at the high school since 2012 and taught career and technical education.
The police are working with the Suffolk Public School District to investigate the charges and look for more victims. Gidley faces charges of indecent liberties with a child by a custodian and sexual abuse of a child.
Attorney contributor Kevin Biniazan is a sexual assault attorney who represents victims of sexual assault along with their families in civil lawsuits. During an interview, Mr. Biniazan shared his knowledge on the rights of victims sexually abused by a high school teacher.
"It is the legal duty of a school administration to offer protection to their students to the best of their ability. This protection is necessary to keep the children from being hurt while learning in a safe environment. Sadly, sexual predators are able to gain employment at schools, allowing them positions with power that students trust. Schools should implement certain safety measures to prevent crimes like sexual abuse from occurring. Some of these measures could include all staff undergoing an extensive background check and having surveillance cameras throughout the campus. If a school fails to offer its best in protecting its students, it could be held liable for the abuse."
"If a teacher is charged with sexual abuse, schools are obligated to investigate the incident, or they could be considered negligent. Often a crime takes place due to a third party's negligence, such as the school administration. One example of negligence includes if prior complaints were made about a teacher's misconduct, but the school administration did not report the claim, and the teacher was allowed to continue working. In negligence cases such as this, victims and their families have a legal right to file a civil lawsuit and may even receive compensation for damages. Victims are encouraged to explore their legal options with an experienced sexual assault attorney."
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