LOS ANGELES (KNX) — The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday approved a settlement of $14.7 million for seven students who said they were molested by their former elementary school teacher.
According to their attorneys, the victims were 9 and 10-year-old students at Hart Street Elementary School in Canoga Park at the time they were allegedly abused by their teacher, Rene Tenas. The abuse reportedly occurred between August 2016 and January 2017.
Tenas was convicted in October of 2018 of charges including committing lewd acts with minors. He was sentenced to five years in state prison — though state Department of Justice records indicated he was released last year.
There were eight known victims, seven of whom were part of Tuesday’s settlement. A separate lawsuit remains pending for the eighth victim.
“This is beneficial to some young girls that have been through a lot,” Michael Carrillo, an attorney representing five of the victims, told The Los Angeles Times. “Their memories of their childhood and their elementary school are tarnished forever. These kids are severely affected to this day.”
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