Former El Segundo Excessive Faculty water polo coach and instructor George Harris Jr. sexually harassed and molested minor-aged male highschool gamers between 2002 and 2010, three former El Segundo gamers allege in a lawsuit.
Harris routinely sexually harassed gamers at practices and in school and in late night time phone calls wherein he inspired them to masturbate, pressured them to share particulars about their sexual relationships with their girlfriends, and offered them with alcohol, marijuana and pornography in makes an attempt to induce them to having intercourse with him, based on the lawsuit filed towards Harris and the El Segundo Unified Faculty District in Los Angeles Superior Court docket.
A former participant who attended El Segundo Excessive between 2005-09 alleges within the lawsuit {that a} guardian of one other pupil complained to the varsity’s principal about Harris’ continued sexual harassment and grooming, however that the varsity district took no motion “to watch, supervise or in any other case examine Harris and stop the form of harassment and abuse (the participant) was subjected to because of his being underneath the management of” Harris.
Harris, based on the lawsuit, “used his place of belief and authority to repeatedly sexually harass and abuse his college students, together with (the three gamers)…by partaking in acts that embody, however should not restricted to: inquiring about his college students’ teenage romances and sexual actions, together with whether or not they have been nonetheless virgins; suggesting his college students have interaction in particular sexual video games and actions with their girlfriends; making specific requests for sexual actions from his college students; carrying on prolonged cellphone conversations to groom his college students for future sexual abuse; serving his college students alcohol and marijuana at his personal residence as a seduction approach; and interesting in intercourse acts along with his college students, together with however not restricted to guide stimulation of genitalia to orgasm.”
Harris retired unexpectedly shortly earlier than the beginning of the 2009-2010 faculty 12 months. On the time, Harris and the varsity cited well being considerations for his stepping away.
“Because of regardless of the situation is, he has opted to take the semester off,” El Segundo athletic director Steve Shevlin advised the Every day Information on the time. “The excellent news is that George is again dwelling and resting, and that’s a great signal that he’s on the highway to restoration.”
Harris didn’t reply to a request for remark.
El Segundo Unified Faculty District superintendent Melissa Moore issued an announcement in response to the lawsuit.
“The El Segundo Unified Faculty District is conscious of the pending lawsuit. The district takes all allegations of misconduct very severely; nevertheless, we can’t touch upon the specifics of the lawsuit or the related allegations as that is an ongoing authorized matter. The El Segundo Unified Faculty District fosters a tradition that promotes the well being, security, and well-being of all college students and employees. Making a secure and respectful setting is our primary precedence. We admire your understanding at the moment.”
Harris, a 23-year worker of the El Segundo Unified Faculty District, joined the El Segundo Excessive water polo teaching employees in 1991. He took over as head coach in 1997 and led El Segundo to the playoffs in 10 of his 11 seasons, reaching the CIF finals thrice.
Harris additionally served because the USC soccer press field announcer for greater than 20 years.
A former participant who attended El Segundo between 2002 and 2006 alleges within the lawsuit that Harris invited the scholar to Harris’ personal residence on or round New Yr’s Eve and offered him with Outdated Crow whiskey, pouring the drink right into a Gatorade bottle so the underage boy might carry the drink in public.
After giving the scholar a present and persevering with to offer him with alcohol, Harris propositioned the participant based on the lawsuit. Feeling “trapped,” the scholar finally agreed to manually stimulate Harris’ genitals utilizing a intercourse toy, based on the submitting.
All three gamers declare within the swimsuit that they have been subjected to prolonged late night time phone calls wherein Harris requested about their sexual relations with ladies and inspired them to masturbate, even suggesting varied strategies.
The swimsuit additionally alleges that El Segundo water polo gamers have been required to tell Harris of once they misplaced their virginity.
