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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”.
