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The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) has agreed to a $1.5 million settlement in a lawsuit involving allegations of sexual abuse by a former teacher and counselor at Lowell High School. The lawsuit, brought by a former student now identified as “John Doe,” claimed that the District failed to properly supervise Harlan Edelman, enabling years of abuse that began during the 2004-2005 academic year.
The complaint detailed how Edelman, then a teacher and counselor at the prestigious Lowell High School, began “grooming” the student under the pretense of academic mentorship. Edelman offered rides home, bought meals and gifts, and presented himself as a trusted adult invested in Doe’s success. According to the lawsuit, school officials ignored warning signs and failed to intervene, allowing Edelman to abuse the student repeatedly on campus, including in his office and classroom.
During the litigation, it emerged that another student had reported being sexually assaulted by a different counselor during the same school year, with Edelman allegedly helping to cover up that incident. Despite reports from students and parents, school officials did not take appropriate action. Attorney Lauren Cerri, representing John Doe, stated, “School officials admitted that they felt there was no reason to supervise any of the counselors more closely. Had they done so, most likely Edelman’s abuse of my client would have been detected and stopped”.
John Doe did not disclose the abuse until 2008, when he began seeking therapy to address its impact. “Given the effect this has had on my life, I wish I could go back in time and have forced the school district to prevent my abuse from happening in the first place,” Doe said in a statement.
Edelman continued to work for SFUSD after his time at Lowell, teaching at the Academy of Arts and Sciences until his resignation in September 2013. In 2014, Edelman was arrested in a sting operation by Mountain View police, who posed as a 17-year-old boy online.
This settlement comes amid broader scrutiny of SFUSD’s handling of sexual abuse cases. Earlier last year, attorney Lauren Cerri settled two additional sexual abuse cases against the District for $4.5 million, involving former George Washington High School athletic director Lawrence Young-Yet Chan.
Attorney Cerri emphasized the importance of accountability: “We hope that by bringing attention to the harm suffered years ago by victims of childhood sexual abuse, school districts throughout California will recognize the life-long harm they inflict when they choose to protect educators and the district’s reputation over the safety of students”.
John Doe echoed this sentiment, expressing disappointment that the district relies on liability insurance to resolve such cases rather than focusing on prevention. Still, he voiced hope, inspired by current Lowell students who have spoken out and organized for change, including #MeToo walkouts. “Their activism shows the power of collective action to demand accountability and work toward a safer environment for everyone. Thank you for your voices. We were never alone,” Doe said.
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SFUSD reaches $1.5M settlement in sex abuse lawsuit involving former counselor
