School District Allowed Repeated Sexual Assault Of Former Student, SMC Lawsuit Says

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A former Woodside High School student filed a lawsuit this week that claims the Sequoia Union High School District and the Academy of Volleyball didn’t protect her from a coach who repeatedly sexually assaulted despite multiple reports.

Thomas Feng, 26, a former Woodside High School volleyball coach, is facing felony sexual assault charges for having an inappropriate relationship with an underage student, starting when she was 15, during the 2022-2023 school year, the lawsuit states.

The complaint, filed by the law firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, claims Feng used his position to groom and sexually assault the student multiple times on school grounds and at school events; he was arrested in late February.

“We are seeking justice for our client and working to ensure no other student suffers under this district's watch,” attorney Lauren Cerri said in a statement.

The lawsuit further claims that both the Sequoia Union High School District and the Academy of Volleyball, a volleyball club in the North Fair Oaks, were aware of Feng’s misconduct but failed to notify law enforcement or take adequate action to protect the student.

The lawsuit details instances where Woodside High School administration dismissed complaints about an inappropriate relationship between Feng and Doe as rumors, taking no further steps to investigate, increase supervision, or terminate the coach.

The Academy of Volleyball's director and staff reportedly spoke to Feng about respecting coach-player boundaries but failed to report the inappropriate behavior to authorities, according to the lawsuit.

Campus rumors of the relationship, fueled by reports of kissing and time alone, were dismissed, staff failed to report suspicions of child abuse to law enforcement, despite anonymous complaints and the abuse continued at Academy Volleyball, where Feng also coached.

The lawsuit claims that Academy Volleyball was negligent in hiring and supervising Feng. Furthermore, the club is accused of failing to investigate complaints about Feng's behavior or report them to law enforcement.

“By dismissing complaints, the District prioritized its reputation over the safety of the students, leaving Feng in a position to do more harm," Cerri said in the statement. "We urge anyone with information to contact us immediately.”

Both the school district and Academy Volleyball did not respond to requests for comment.

Anyone with information can contact the law firm Cerri, Boskovich & Allard at (408) 289-1417.

Additional reporting by Alise Maripuu, Bay City News.