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Teacher allegedly raped 15-year-old, coerced her into abortion
Live Action News ^ | April 22, 2024 | Cassy Fiano-Chesser

Posted on 04/22/2024 2:32:56 PM PDT by Morgana

A teacher in San Jose, California, has been arrested after being accused of raping a student 20 years ago and then coercing her to have an abortion.

Shawn Thomas was a teacher at Leigh High School, as well as a football and track and field coach at Los Gatos High School. The alleged abuse took place between 2002 and 2003, but the victim did not report the crime to police until March 3, 2024.

She has also filed a civil lawsuit against San Jose’s Campbell Union High School District, claiming that after forcing her to have an abortion, Thomas continued to abuse her — even though she reported the crimes to the school’s dean, who happened to be Thomas’ wife.

According to the lawsuit, Thomas groomed the student when she was a 15-year-old freshman before repeatedly raping her. Thomas’ wife, Sarah, allegedly walked in on the abuse once but failed to report the rape. After the victim got pregnant, she was coerced to have an abortion, but she then confided in Sarah Thomas about the abuse — only for Sarah to blame the young teen, asking how the student could “do this to her.”

No one reported the abuse to police or took any action to protect the victim from Thomas.

“It has impacted every facet of her life. It has changed the trajectory of her life,” attorney Lauren Cerri, who is representing the woman, told CBS News Bay Area. “So that is why most people remain silent, because they’re not believed, and they’re victim blamed, and that’s exactly what happened here.”

Cerri also told NBC Bay Area that the abortion was difficult for the victim as well. “He impregnated her, forced her to have an abortion,” she said. “It was so difficult for her to have to do that and make that decision at such a young age. But he insisted on it, to the point she had it at 16 weeks.”

At 16 weeks, preborn babies can respond to light stimuli and have a hormonal stress response to invasive procedures, according to the Endowment for Human Development. The most commonly used abortion procedure in the second trimester is a D&E dismemberment abortion during which an abortionist uses a Sopher clamp to tear the baby’s arms and legs from her body before crushing her skull.

The victim’s sister also said that the victim didn’t understand the depths of the crimes committed against her at first.

“For so many years, my sister thought it was her fault. She felt so much shame and guilt, especially after being forced to abort her child. Mrs. Thomas blamed her, so she blamed herself,” the sister said. “She’s just now for the first time after 20 years, coming to the realization that she was just a child.”

Thomas was still teaching at Leigh High when he was arrested.

Abortion is a commonly used tool by sexual predators to prevent their crimes from being discovered. All too often, abortion staffers ignore the red flags and look the other way, pocketing money for the abortion and returning the victim to her abuser.


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: abortion; arth; california; californication; childabuse; education; prolife; sanjose
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To: KamperKen

“A strong possibility it was consensual and the ‘rape’ claim was an afterthought.”

I’m leaning in that direction myself. If it was totally against her will it’s hard to imagine she wouldn’t have told somebody about it. Especially if he forced her into an abortion.


21 posted on 04/22/2024 3:02:07 PM PDT by jimwatx
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To: Bullish

Not guilty. He’s hot. Wish I had a teacher like that.


22 posted on 04/22/2024 3:02:16 PM PDT by Fuzz
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To: HollyB

But there is no way he receives a fair trial with no evidence after 20 years. It is a classic He said, she said, except in today’s climate, there is no statute of limitations...


23 posted on 04/22/2024 3:04:28 PM PDT by Judge Bean
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To: Fuzz

LLOL I’ll admit I probably have a double standard when it comes to this sort of thing. But girls unlike boys can become pregnant as what occurred in this case.


24 posted on 04/22/2024 3:08:08 PM PDT by jimwatx
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To: KamperKen

A 15 year old cannot give consent.


25 posted on 04/22/2024 3:08:19 PM PDT by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing)
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To: HollyB

Dozens more will come forward.


26 posted on 04/22/2024 3:08:25 PM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor.)
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To: HollyB

After twenty years, what evidence does she have? I believe there is, and should be, a statute of limitations, which there are on criminal cases, but not civil. There should be a statute on civil as well, in my opinion.


27 posted on 04/22/2024 3:09:22 PM PDT by Judge Bean
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To: All

Teacher raped then forced girl to abort baby.

28 posted on 04/22/2024 3:10:14 PM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. )
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To: Judge Bean

With a child and adult, there is normally not a SOL. Especially with a teacher.


29 posted on 04/22/2024 3:13:23 PM PDT by HollyB
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To: Morgana

Every person, under the age of consent, must have an accompanied parent/legal guardian with them, outside a public school physical building at all times, in this Age. This includes being an event spectator.

There should NEVER be any interaction with an adult, other than inside a fully attended camera monitored classroom, without the presence of a parent.


30 posted on 04/22/2024 3:19:52 PM PDT by Varsity Flight ( "War by 🙏 the prophesies set before you." I Timothy 1:18. Nazarite warriors. 10.5.6.5 These Days)
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To: Flaming Conservative

“A 15 year old cannot give consent.”

That’s not my point. The girl might have had a fully consensual sexual relationship. No coercion, seduction or force involved. And like so many females of all ages after the fact decide to call it rape.


31 posted on 04/22/2024 3:19:53 PM PDT by KamperKen (u)
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To: Fuzz; KamperKen

I’m having a problem with the use of the word “rape”.

Yes, the victim was under age, and Statutory Rape is the legal term, but rape connotes a violent attack. She may not have been old enough to give legal consent, but she did consent.

What we have here is Sexual Assault. Still bad. Still deserving of 20 years. Or more.


32 posted on 04/22/2024 3:20:25 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: SecondAmendment

Careful not to pull a muscle with that ridiculous stretch.


33 posted on 04/22/2024 3:30:33 PM PDT by Cold_Red_Steel
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To: farmguy

If it were a female teacher knocking up a male student, she’d be getting a medal for it from far too many on this forum.

It’s OK if she’s *hot*, as if sexual abuse of a minor is ever OK. But I guess in some minds.......


34 posted on 04/22/2024 3:49:37 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: Morgana

I’m tired of hearing the leftist drivel about how amazing and special teachers are, how they are all underpaid, and how we spend too much on other things, like national defense instead of teachers. We’ve heard this for many decades.

I am fully in favor of rewarding good and great teachers, but teachers are hardly a homogeneous group of dedicated virtuous champions of children.


35 posted on 04/22/2024 3:50:47 PM PDT by neverevergiveup
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To: Morgana

Los Gatos is a very rich community.
I’m surprised they let this go so long.


36 posted on 04/22/2024 4:00:40 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: Judge Bean

I believe there is, and should be, a statute of limitations, which there are on criminal cases, but not civil.


“There is not statute of limitations when this involves a minor, and the fact that this was a teacher, we take this very seriously,” San Jose police Senior Public Relations Representative Stacie Shih said.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/shawn-thomas-leigh-high-rape-arrest/3491688/


37 posted on 04/22/2024 4:06:43 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Morgana

The wife should be arrested, too!


38 posted on 04/22/2024 4:19:53 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (Either ‘the Deep State destroys America, or we destroy the Deep State.’ --Donald Trump)
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To: Judge Bean

Seriously?

Looks like you didn’t read all the reasons given; or if you did, you didn’t have any empathy for the feelings and shame of the child who was coerced and raped.


39 posted on 04/22/2024 4:21:29 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (Either ‘the Deep State destroys America, or we destroy the Deep State.’ --Donald Trump)
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To: SecondAmendment
Trump and Lake don’t care, its a “State’s Rights” issue now ...

It is the states' prerogative and duty to deal with these issues, and always has been under the Constitution. That's why Roe needed to be overturned. Federal officials cannot be tasked with every interpersonal issue, especially now that our nation no longer has a common religion and value system.

40 posted on 04/22/2024 4:24:43 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (Either ‘the Deep State destroys America, or we destroy the Deep State.’ --Donald Trump)
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