A second lawsuit has been filed against the Benicia Unified School District and former teacher Matthew Joseph Shelton, who is accused of sexual misconduct. The lawsuit, filed on April 24 by lead attorney Brendan Gilbert from the Los Angeles-based law firm Taylor & Ring, represents three additional youth plaintiffs who allege they were abused by Shelton during the 2022-23 school year at Robert Semple Elementary School in Benicia.
The lawsuit claims that Shelton sexually assaulted four students, identified as Jane Does 2-5, during the first semester of the 2022-23 school year. It further alleges that the district was negligent in hiring and supervising Shelton, as he had a history of sexual abuse allegations at another school district. Gilbert expressed concern over the vetting process for teachers, stating that if Shelton’s previous allegations had been disclosed, he should not have been hired, thus preventing further abuse. Shockingly, Benicia Unified did not terminate Shelton when the allegations came to light; instead, he was allowed to quietly resign and subsequently found employment at another school in mid-2023.
Taylor & Ring also represents Jane Doe 1 in a separate lawsuit filed on April 9, which involves similar misconduct allegations against Shelton. The former teacher, aged 42, was arrested on February 23 after allegations arose of inappropriate interactions with a student at Robert Semple Elementary School. Shelton has been charged with seven felony counts of lewd acts on a child under the age of 14, with court documents stating that the acts were committed with the intent to arouse and gratify his own sexual desires.
According to court documents, Jane Doe 1 reported the abuse during the fall 2022 semester while attending fifth grade at Robert Semple. In December, another student reported inappropriate conduct by Shelton to administrators, but no action was taken to investigate if there were other victims. Shelton was placed on leave after the second allegations, but he did not resign from Benicia Unified until June 2, 2022. By July 2, 2022, he had secured employment as an assistant principal at Helms Middle School in the West Contra Costa Unified School District.
This is not the first time Shelton has faced such allegations. In April 2007, while teaching at Phillips Edison Elementary School in Napa, he faced misdemeanor sexual abuse allegations involving four students. Following a jury trial in 2008, Shelton was acquitted of six counts of child molestation. His defense argued that the accounts of three girls who testified were inconsistent and fabricated, leading to the charges being overturned.
Benicia Unified School District Superintendent Damon Wright stated that the district cannot comment on pending litigation cases. However, following Shelton’s arrest, Wright announced in March that the district had implemented a multi-step action plan to review its systems and processes to ensure student safety and well-being. The plan includes an independent review of the district’s hiring, supervision, and evaluation practices for all employees during school hours and across all school activities.
2 Responses
It is disheartening to hear about cases of sexual misconduct involving teachers and students. To address this issue, I believe it is crucial for schools to implement comprehensive and ongoing training programs for both teachers and students.
For teachers, training should focus on creating a safe and respectful learning environment, understanding boundaries, and recognizing signs of potential misconduct. This training should be mandatory for all teachers, including regular refreshers to ensure they stay informed about best practices and legal requirements.
Additionally, students should be educated about their
I’m curious to know more about the details of the second lawsuit against the Benicia Unified School District and Matthew Joseph Shelton. Could you please provide more information about the nature of the allegations and any potential implications for the school district?