2 Northridge-Area Schools Accused Of Covering Up Sexual Abuse

NORTHRIDGE, CA — Los Angeles Unified School District is handling two separate lawsuits over alleged sexual misconduct at two Northridge-area schools: Hart Street Elementary School in Canoga Park, and Grover Cleveland Charter High School in Reseda.

The first suit was filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. The plaintiff is a 17-year-old girl identified as Jane Doe who alleges that she was sexually abused by her fourth grade teacher at Hart Street Elementary School in Canoga Park.

According to the suit, Rene Tenas "sexually harassed, abused and molested Jane S.N. Doe on multiple occasions by willfully and unlawfully committing lewd and lascivious acts." The suit alleges that Tenas told the plaintiff he would help her with her homework, and kept her and other female students in his classroom during recess, lunch, and after school.

The suit further alleges that the LAUSD had "actual or constructive knowledge" that Tenas had been sexually abusing minors, but took steps to cover it up.

The LAUSD has not yet commented on this suit.

Tenas pleaded no contest in Oct. 2018 to two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child, and was sentenced to five years in state prison.

Another lawsuit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court by a 29-year-old woman alleges that she was sexually abused during her senior year at the magnet program of the Grover Cleveland Charter High School in Reseda. According to the suit, the plaintiff had heard rumors that students were going to teachers' houses, where they discussed "heavy subject matters" that led to "emotional conversations." This led to a school culture the suit called "toxic and unprofessional," where some former teachers at Cleveland had sexual relationships with students, and the suit alleges that the school district knew about the behavior and tried to cover it up.

The suit alleges that a new teacher, Brett Shufelt, told the plaintiff that she could wait in his classrooms in the early mornings. There, he began having very personal discussions with the plaintiff, some of which were sexual. Shufelt allegedly told the plaintiff that a fellow teacher showed him a photo of her being intimate with someone.

Shufelt later invited the plaintiff to his home, where they had dinner, watch a movie, and Shufelt sexually abused her, according to the suit. The alleged abuse took place until December 2008.

Shufelt resigned in the spring of 2009, and told the administration he was leaving because he was dating a student and wanted to be with her. Fellow students blamed the plaintiff for Doe's departure, which resulted in ostracism and threats. According to the suit, teachers retaliated against her as well.

The suit alleges that the school failed to act, and Shufelt continued to abuse the plaintiff throughout her senior year and beyond, resulting in a deep stress and trauma.

— Michael Wittner and City News Service contributed to this report.