A lawsuit claims that a school in California did not safeguard a 14-year-old student from being groomed and sexually assaulted by a teacher, resulting in lasting trauma for the boy, according to his family.
A 46-year-old teacher, Michelle Christine Solis, has been convicted for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a student at Sycamore Middle School, coinciding with the student’s graduation day.
Recent claims in the legal case, revealed by the Sacramento Bee, indicate that Solis arranged meetings with the student, securing passes for recess and lunch, all under the pretense of assisting with homework to facilitate private interactions.
Solis, a mother of two, connected with the student on Instagram and quickly initiated private conversations, engaging with him for weeks leading up to their initial meeting, as stated in the lawsuit.
On the day of his eighth-grade graduation, the teacher took the student into a classroom, secured the door, and pressured him into a sexual encounter. According to the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, she subsequently shared images of their meeting along with directives to erase the messages.
Following the circulation of explicit images of the educator in the tight-knit community of Gridley, located 50 miles north of Sacramento, authorities examined the boy’s phone and discovered communications with the teacher along with two explicit photos.
The legal action asserts that the Gridley Unified School District did not adequately oversee their teacher’s conduct and neglected to instruct other educators on how to recognize grooming behavior effectively.
The lawsuit requests compensation for physical, mental, and emotional injuries experienced by the student, including general damages and other forms of non-economic relief.
Mark Boskovich, representing the young victim, shared with the local media that the sexual offense has profoundly impacted his life.
“He has returned to the classroom, a place where he previously felt powerless and unable to manage the circumstances,” Boskovich shared with the Bee.
Solis, with two decades of experience in education, received a four-year prison sentence in July and is required to register as a sex offender. She is currently incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility located in Chowchilla.