SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The law firm of Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard filed an amended lawsuit this week in Santa Clara County Superior Court (Case No. 22CV401151) on behalf of another sexual abuse victim of Sierramont Middle School teacher Ronald Gardner.
The new victim is identified as John Doe 3 in the civil lawsuit.
The lawsuit states that Doe 3 was isolated and sexually abused by Gardner in a locked classroom during the 2001-2002 and/or the 2002-2003 school years.
“The abuse of all of these young boys could have been prevented had Gardner been properly supervised especially as an uncredentialed teacher,” attorney Lauren Cerri said. “Gardner was an uncredentialed teacher up until 2003, teaching with just an Emergency Permit.”
Under the law, a person re-applying for an Emergency Permit must be assigned an experienced educator to provide guidance.
Despite Gardner being investigated in 1999 for telling dirty jokes to young boys, he would go on to be selected by the Berryessa Union School District Superintendent as the recipient of an excellence in teaching award.
From 1998 to 2003, the lawsuit lays out a series of events which should have resulted in termination or closer supervision of Gardner. The events include the telling of dirty jokes to young boys including telling a boy that a muscle in his arm had been developed or enlarged by masturbation, Gardner kissing a young boy during a power outage, offering to measure the penis size of a young boy, watching a young boy urinate, and grabbing a young boy’s genitals while wrestling. Gardner was finally placed on leave in 2003 but chose to resign instead.
John Doe 3 is also now part of the criminal complaint against Gardner. The criminal case is ongoing with Gardner charged with abusing four boys, including two of the victims in this case.
“There are very likely more victims,” Cerri said. “I would encourage former students of Gardner to come forward.”
About Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard
The sexual abuse legal team at Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard has a national reputation and a proven record of helping survivors and their families recover from childhood sexual abuse. The firm’s $65 million jury verdict in a sexual abuse case against a public school is believed to be the largest single plaintiff verdict ever in California and the United States.