A lawsuit has been filed against Los Angeles Unified and a former third grade teacher from Chatsworth on behalf of two former students who allege he touched them inappropriately.
LAUSD officials received complaints about alleged sexually inappropriate behavior by toward students at in Pacoima but "failed to take any measures to ensure the safety of the minor students within its care," states the suit, which was filed Thursday by guardians for the two former Telfair students.
The plaintiffs were both 8 when they were allegedly touched in an inappropriate way by Chapel between September 2010 and April 2011.
Chapel, 51, is alleging he molested more than a dozen other children dating back to 2006.
The lawsuit does not state whether the two former students, who are now 10, are also among those named in the against Chapel.
The children are identified in the complaint only by their initials, Z.B. and C.D. They are seeking unspecified damages on claims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and negligent supervision.
An LAUSD representative did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Chapel, who taught at Telfair for 13 years, was arrested last fall.
The suit says Chapel was accused of at his Ventura County home in 1997 and reassigned by the district temporarily to an administrative office. A jury that heard the criminal case against him could not reach a verdict and he was eventually allowed back into the classroom and assigned to Telfair School in 1998, the suit states.
LAUSD originally hired Chapel in 1989. A month earlier, the suit says, he was sued for making vulgar remarks and showing an inappropriate video at the private .
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