A former Berkeley High School teacher is facing new allegations of sexual assault as a second woman comes forward, saying she was molested.
One former student already accused Matthew Bissell of abusing her. Now, a second woman said she was assaulted as a teenager and is suing the former science teacher and the district.
The allegations date back to 1997 when the woman, who isn’t being named, was a 14-year-old student in Mathew Bissell's chemistry class.
"He would at various times try to isolate her, he would corner her, try to rub up against her and grope her," Christina Nolan, the victim's attorney, told KCBS Radio.
Nolan said her client found the courage to come forward after another woman, Rachel Phillips, filed a lawsuit claiming Bissell assaulted her between 1999 and 2003. The case gained countywide fame after a now infamous picture was discovered in an old yearbook, depicting Phillips with Bissell's arms wrapped around her.
"He was the known predator and the district unfortunately did not do anything to protect its students for many years," Nolan said.
In a statement to KCBS Radio, the Berkeley Unified School District said the emotional and physical safety of every student is a top priority and added that because the case is in litigation, the district can’t comment on any specifics.
Bissell's attorney, Alison Crane, did not immediately respond to KCBS Radio's request for comment, but after the earlier lawsuit, she told Berkeleyside that Mr. Bissell adamantly denies any allegations of inappropriate conduct.
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