Claim Filed Against MDUSD For Failing To Prevent Alleged Child Molestation

A claim filed Wednesday against the Mount Diablo Unified School District alleges that administrators failed to protect an 11-year-old boy from molestation at the hands of Joseph Martin, 45, a fifth grade teacher at Woodside Elementary School.

The claim states that Woodside Elementary Principal Jenny Reyes Cronan and district officials "not only failed to report the abuse to legal authorities, as was mandated duty under state law, but also failed to take any investigatory or remedial action against the perpetrating teacher, and failed to take any or sufficient action or implement measures to prevent sexual abuse, such as that suffered by the Claimant, from occurring in the future."

Martin, who has been a teacher at Woodside Elementary since 1991, pleaded not guilty on July 3 to 91 felony counts of child molestation on at least 11 students between 2006 and April 2013. He is in jail on $10 million bail and faces life imprisonment if convicted.

The claim is seeking "more than $25,000" from the Mount Diablo Unified School District on behalf of the recent graduated 11-year-old boy, "who suffered and continues to suffer from physical injuries and severe psychological injuries," according to the claim.

Martin engaged in "wildly inappropriate" physical behavior with the boy, the claim states, including giving the student back rubs in class, putting his hands down the boy's shirt and approaching him while he was seated to position a book in the boy's lap, "sweeping his groin and fondling his penis in the process."

School administrators allegedly allowed Martin to return to his classroom "to say goodbye" even after learning of the sexual abuse allegations, the claim states, and Martin was able to corner the boy and insist that he rescind the molestation claims.

This "shocking and inexplicable behavior" by administrators, the claim states, was "entirely consistent with a pattern and practice at the school of ignoring complaints about Martin's inappropriate behavior."

Do you know how your child's school deals with molestation and abuse claims? How do you think the system can be improved? Share your thoughts in the comments.