The alleged teenager sex abuse victim of a teacher arrested last year has filed a federal lawsuit against the West Contra Costa Unified School District, accusing the district of ignoring obvious sex abuse warning flags.
According to the lawsuit, ex-WCCUSD instructor Jane Shetterly began “grooming” the child for sexual abuse when she was 15 and continued to sexually abuse her throughout her life, including at the girl’s house during lessons. Shetterly was her instructor, and the alleged victim was a special needs student with a customized education plan.
Shetterly was detained in June 2021 on suspicion of sexually abusing the girl, but she was not charged a year later. The matter is still “under review,” according to a spokesman for the district attorney. According to court records, police officers began looking into Shetterly when the girl’s mother reported finding recordings and images of Shetterly and the girl engaging in various sex acts.
The WCCUSD’s spokeswoman declined to comment on the ongoing lawsuit.
Shetterly allegedly “ritualistically groomed” the youngster by giving her “material gifts, extra attention, and affection,” according to the lawsuit. Shetterly is accused of taking the child to a sex shop on many times, sending her information about how to become emancipated from her parents as a teen, and isolating her from her friends, according to police.
The suit claims that there were public social media posts showing Shetterly and the girl socializing during the period of the alleged sexual assault, which WCCUSD should have known about. According to the lawsuit, inappropriate behavior on campus “was seen, watched, heard, and known of by other school administrators, teachers, and mandated reporters,” who failed to intervene.
Shetterly began traveling to the girl’s house and conducting remote classes from there once the COVID-19 outbreak was fully underway. According to the lawsuit, the district learned about this and urged her to cease, but did nothing to guarantee that she did. It was apparently during a remote meeting, which Shetterly joined from the girl’s home when they begged her to stop. Shetterly allegedly continued to abuse the girl at her house after that, according to the lawsuit.
“There were at least two teachers who were friends with Shetterly who knew about her conduct with (the alleged victim) and failed to take any action,” the suit alleges. “These teachers, protectors of children and minors and mandatory reporters, were employed by WCCUSD and responsible for the children under their care, including Plaintiff.”
According to the lawsuit, after Shetterly’s arrest, various WCCUSD workers harassed the girl about getting Shetterly in trouble because of their “connection.”
Shetterly returned to De Anza High School to find the girl following his arrest in June 2021, according to the lawsuit, and continued to send her text messages. Shetterly has since been served with a restraining order by her family.
