The Carlson Law Firm’s Los Angeles office is investigating sexual assault and abuse claims against George Harris Jr., former water polo coach, and several schools he worked for in the El Segundo Unified School District in California for nearly 30 years. Attorney Ruth Rizkalla of The Carlson Law Firm stated, “Being both a mother of school-aged children and an attorney who has fought for those harmed, I am outraged by the actions and inactions of the defendants in this case and am compelled to seek justice for my clients.” Additional allegations claim Harris also abused students at the University of Southern California (USC) while he worked there from 1979 to 2008.
George Harris worked with children from 1981 to 2009 while he was employed by El Segundo High School and Arena High School as a social studies instructor and aquatic sports coach. During that time, Harris carried a reputation of overt sexualized conduct and conversations on school grounds during interactions with students. In 1997, Harris became the district’s praised head coach for aquatic sports—he used his position of influence, access to secluded areas at the schools, and time alone with his male students to sexually assault them.
The school district allegedly overlooked multiple reports of misconduct from students, parents, and teachers. The school district’s alleged cavalier attitude towards years of reports of sexual misconduct reputedly fostered an unsafe environment for students and has raised further suspicions that other faculty members at El Segundo School District may have also perpetrated abuse against students. The indictments of two other district teachers for serial sexual abuse underline those suspicions. [1] [2]
Claims of sexual abuse can include, but are not limited to, behaviors such as:
While minors are in the most vulnerable position for sexual abuse, claims are not limited to people that were abused while they were minor students. Young adult students that were manipulated by coaches or other personnel in positions of authority to comply with sexualized behavior or conversations may also have legal recourse.
Students of the ESUSD and USC that were exposed to inappropriate sexual behavior by George Harris, Jr. or other faculty should contact the Carlson Law Firm as soon as possible. Our team of dedicated sexual assault attorneys can review the details of your exposure and seek justice on your behalf.
About The Carlson Law Firm
The Carlson Law Firm is a national law firm committed to providing exceptional legal services in the areas of personal injury, product liability, class actions, nursing home abuse, and consumer protection. The Carlson Law Firm has been successfully representing clients for over 45 years with 18 locations nationwide.
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Source: The Carlson Law Firm
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