A lawsuit has been filed against a teacher and the Berkeley Unified School District for sexual abuse, harassment and indifference 20 years after the alleged incidents occurred.
Attorneys for a former female Berkeley High School student have filed a lawsuit against a former teacher on claims that the teacher groped and molested her. The lawsuit includes the Berkeley Unified School District because, as the former student recounts, the school "did nothing about the assaults."
Rachel Phillips said the abuse started when she was 14, telling the KTVU that in one situation the teacher, Matthew Bissell, allegedly "licked her ear, sucked on it" and "grabbed her by the crotch."
"I complained to various staff, administrators at Berkeley High. Nothing was done," Phillips said.
"The bottom line is Berkeley High knew this was going on for over 20 years," Phillips’ attorney claimed.
According to members of Phillips’ legal team, six other former students are going to file similar reports against the teacher in the future.
Phillips’ story is also supported by a recent Title IX investigation.
"We take allegations of sexual harassment and abuse very seriously and are committed to investigating those complaints as they come to us," the Berkeley Unified School District said in a statement collected by the station. "Mr. Bissell is no longer an employee of Berkeley Unified School District. The district is unable to provide comment on personnel matters."
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