Law Firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard Announces Two Students Sexually Abused 50 Years Ago Settle Lawsuit With Mountain View Whisman School District for $1.6 Million
It took the passage of Assembly Bill 218 in 2020 to extend the statute of limitations for such lawsuits, allowing survivors to seek justice decades after the abuse occurred.
'For decades, school districts like Mountain View Whisman have avoided taking responsibility for the harm they caused to sexual abuse victims,' attorney Lauren Cerri said. 'It took the passage of Assembly Bill 218 in 2020 to extend the statute of limitations for such lawsuits, allowing survivors to seek justice decades after the abuse occurred.'
The Mountain View Whisman lawsuit is part of broader legal actions against Myers, who also faced sexual abuse allegations arising from his employment with Santa Cruz City Schools (SCCS), where he served as principal of Branciforte Junior High School from 1981 to 1984 and ran the Traveling School. In 2024, the law firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard achieved justice for two more victims of Myers against SCCS. The lawsuit brought by the firm settled for $4.5 million.
'These cases reveal a pattern of misconduct by Myers, who exploited his authority across multiple districts over decades,' Cerri said.
Myers, who has gone by many aliases including Stephen Jackson, operated the Traveling School Summer Program, a six-week initiative for students with behavioral and academic challenges, at both Crittenden and later in Santa Cruz. The program, described as a "school on wheels," included controversial elements like "Body Theme Days," where students were required to wear minimal clothing, and massage sessions led by Myers. Depositions revealed a lack of oversight, with no policies governing teacher-student interactions or background checks conducted on Myers.
Across five decades, from 1968 to 2018, at least 11 men have reported sexual abuse by Myers, with over 20 alleging inappropriate conduct during their minor years in locations including Mountain View, Santa Cruz, and Denver.
Despite these allegations, Myers has not faced criminal prosecution due to statutes of limitations. His teaching credentials were revoked in California and Colorado following reports of misconduct.
The settlements by MVWSD and SCCS mark steps toward accountability for past failures, providing some justice for survivors. These cases underscore the critical need for rigorous background checks, oversight, and policies to protect students in educational settings.
This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
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Business Wire
04-08-2025
- Business Wire
Law Firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard Announces Two Students Sexually Abused 50 Years Ago Settle Lawsuit With Mountain View Whisman School District for $1.6 Million
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The law firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard is reporting that two students sexually abused in the early 1970s have settled their lawsuit against the Mountain View Whisman School District (MVWSD) for $1.6 million. The lawsuit alleged sexual abuse by Steven Myers, a former teacher and vice principal at Crittenden Middle School during the early 1970s. The settlement resolves claims that Myers groomed and assaulted two students in the early 1970s, highlighting serious oversight failures in the district at the time. It took the passage of Assembly Bill 218 in 2020 to extend the statute of limitations for such lawsuits, allowing survivors to seek justice decades after the abuse occurred. 'For decades, school districts like Mountain View Whisman have avoided taking responsibility for the harm they caused to sexual abuse victims,' attorney Lauren Cerri said. 'It took the passage of Assembly Bill 218 in 2020 to extend the statute of limitations for such lawsuits, allowing survivors to seek justice decades after the abuse occurred.' The Mountain View Whisman lawsuit is part of broader legal actions against Myers, who also faced sexual abuse allegations arising from his employment with Santa Cruz City Schools (SCCS), where he served as principal of Branciforte Junior High School from 1981 to 1984 and ran the Traveling School. In 2024, the law firm of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard achieved justice for two more victims of Myers against SCCS. The lawsuit brought by the firm settled for $4.5 million. 'These cases reveal a pattern of misconduct by Myers, who exploited his authority across multiple districts over decades,' Cerri said. Myers, who has gone by many aliases including Stephen Jackson, operated the Traveling School Summer Program, a six-week initiative for students with behavioral and academic challenges, at both Crittenden and later in Santa Cruz. The program, described as a "school on wheels," included controversial elements like "Body Theme Days," where students were required to wear minimal clothing, and massage sessions led by Myers. Depositions revealed a lack of oversight, with no policies governing teacher-student interactions or background checks conducted on Myers. Across five decades, from 1968 to 2018, at least 11 men have reported sexual abuse by Myers, with over 20 alleging inappropriate conduct during their minor years in locations including Mountain View, Santa Cruz, and Denver. Despite these allegations, Myers has not faced criminal prosecution due to statutes of limitations. His teaching credentials were revoked in California and Colorado following reports of misconduct. The settlements by MVWSD and SCCS mark steps toward accountability for past failures, providing some justice for survivors. These cases underscore the critical need for rigorous background checks, oversight, and policies to protect students in educational settings. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.
CBS News
25-07-2025
- CBS News
Chicago towing damage claims are regularly denied, analysis shows
When drivers like Craig Myers park where they shouldn't in Chicago and get towed, they expect certain consequences. "Obviously it was my fault that I parked there, because I didn't look at the sign correctly," he said. On a snowless night in February 2025, Myers parked in a December-to-April overnight snow tow zone. "Looked at the sign, and all I saw was two inches of snow. I was really tired," he explained. The next morning, his car was gone, hauled away by a tow truck. "I was able to make the phone calls to find out what pound the car was in," he said. "I was okay with paying the tow. That was my fault. I paid my dues for that, right? I understood that I parked illegally. But, I did not expect this nightmare." The nightmare, Myers explained, is the state he found his Hyundai Santa Fe in after he paid the fee. "I turned on the car and it made a loud noise. I pulled up to the gate where the attendant was standing right there," Myers said. "I put it in park, and when I put it in park, the car kept going. They apparently broke the parking pin." Myers said he also noticed damage to the bumper. These are all problems he claims did not exist prior to the tow. His Santa Fe is a four-wheel drive SUV. The best way to tow an all-wheel drive vehicle, multiple experts told CBS News Chicago, is on a flatbed truck. Myers was able to get surveillance video which shows his SUV being pulled by a regular tow truck, back wheels seen rolling on the ground. He followed the rules, filing a claim and attaching multiple estimates. Mechanics told him he would need his transmission replaced. They also told him this was not the first time they've encountered this type of damage. "Every mechanic said, 'This is what the city does. This is what the towing company does. They've been doing it for years. Good luck,'" Myers said. United Road Towing (URT) has a 10-year, $96 million contract with the city to provide tows, among other things. Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation also conducts towing operations. A department spokesperson said last year, URT towed 58,245 vehicles while DSS towed 22,877. CBS News Chicago requested tow damage claim data. An analysis found 23% of claims submitted between 2016 and 2024 were approved. The city paid a total of $166,000 for those 76 claims. The remaining claims were either denied or are still open as of the public records date. Either way, nothing was paid to drivers, especially if a URT truck was identified as the responsible party. There are a few cases where drivers took URT to court and were ultimately able to get some money from the company for tow damage. Myers' claim was denied. A letter sent to him by URT said, "Our investigation, as sustained by the police tow report, motor vehicle inventory report, tow driver and personnel conclude the damage reported was not the result of any action on the part of our company personnel. Therefore, your claim has been denied." Last year, CBS News Chicago reported on another driver, Esther Liu, whose car was towed improperly. Unlike Myers, her car should not have been towed at all. She was parked in a legal parking spot. The tow, also caught on surveillance video, showed her all-wheel drive Honda Element being hauled away with the back wheels on the ground. That was July 2024. Her car did not work at all when she went to the pound to pick it up. She submitted a claim and an estimate. Her case remains in limbo more than a year later. "Insurance declared it a total loss," Liu said. The city is requesting another estimate from her. But, Myers' case is turning out differently after CBS News Chicago began asking questions. Myers got additional news from a United Road Towing company executive. "His offer was, I'll give you what the Blue Book is on this. The Kelly's Blue Book," said Myers. Within days, he had a $3,500 check in hand. "It's my understanding that it was kind of take it or leave it and I took it," he said. In written responses to CBS News Chicago questions, the Department of Streets and Sanitation said the most common reasons for claim denials are: Insufficient evidence, meaning a lack of clear documentation to support the claim; and preexisting damage where their records indicate the damage in question existed prior to the tow. "All staff must do an initial inspection prior to towing the vehicle," DSS wrote. But, in Liu's case it's clear from the surveillance video no initial inspection was done. Her car was hooked up and driven away from the River North parking spot in under a minute. When asked about that, DSS said tow operators, if concerned for their safety, sometimes move cars to a nearby location to conduct the pre-tow inspection. In response to URT's common denial of claims found in the data analysis, DSS said it "has not found a consistent pattern of denials," adding, "However, we remain receptive to feedback from residents and are always open to finding ways to improve oversight and communication both internally and externally." As for towing procedures URT tow trucks are seen using in the Liu and Myers videos, DSS said, "All towing operators, including those employed by URT, are mandated to adhere to strict guidelines regarding the handling, transportation and documentation of vehicles. We want residents to feel confident knowing that if and when concerns are brought to our attention, we will immediately initiate serious and thorough investigations to hold all contracted partners accountable." DSS said between the department and URT, the city has 60 flatbed trucks available to conduct tows.
Miami Herald
09-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Advocates for day laborers arrested in California after tire spikes found at immigration raid, authorities say
LOS ANGELES - U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested four men on Tuesday on suspicion of interfering with immigration enforcement operations and placing homemade tire spikes allegedly intended to disable law enforcement vehicles, federal authorities said. Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory K. Bovino identified the men as Jenaro-Ernesto Ayala, 43; Jude Jasmine Jeannine Allard, 28; Sadot Jarnica, 54; and Daniel Montenegro 30, in a statement on X. The case has been referred to the U.S. attorney's office for filing consideration, he said. Nonprofit organization Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur De California (IDEPSCA) identified Ayala and Allard as day laborer advocates. The group said the two men were arrested in a Home Depot parking lot in Van Nuys around 10 a.m. Tuesday while exercising their legal right to observe and document the immigration raid. IDEPSCA operates a day labor center out of a building in the parking lot, which the group says has been targeted several times in the last week. Ayala is a U.S. citizen and works as an outreach coordinator at the Van Nuys Day Labor Center, helping connect migrant workers to resources and jobs, Meagean Ortiz, executive director of IDEPSCA, told The Times. "I have not seen any evidence of what the federal government is accusing my staff of doing, but I do have evidence of masked federal agents tackling not just my staff member, but other volunteers who were recording," she said. Immigrant rights group Unión del Barrio posted Instagram video of people being tackled by federal agents during the operation. IDEPSCA and a coalition of community advocates held a news conference outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L.A. on Tuesday evening to demand the release of Ayala, Allard and all the workers detained in the raid. "Ernesto was arrested, in our eyes, unconstitutionally in the course of an unconstitutional raid meant to attack our communities and pick up people based on the color of their skin and where they're standing looking for work," said Cal Soto, an attorney with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. "It is not a crime to be looking for work to support your families, and it's not a crime to be brown, Latino and looking for work," he continued. "It is also not a crime to observe and record law enforcement when they are enacting these kinds of raids." Soto said he attempted to enter the facility to provide Ayala and Allard with legal representation but was told that they were still being processed and that he was not allowed to see them. In addition to demanding the release of those arrested Monday, representatives for IDEPSCA and Unión del Barrio said they were demanding an end to "federal intimidation tactics" targeting community worker centers and Home Depot parking lots. "We will continue to fight for Ernesto, for Jude and for all the workers who continue to be kidnapped and terrorized in these lots, in these communities and in these streets that are our streets," said a representative for Unión del Barrio. "No amount of tackling people in a Home Depot parking lot is going to silence day laborer organizations." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
