Sexual Assault Lawsuit Filed Towards the Orange County College of the Arts and its founder Ralph Opacic – Los Cerritos Information
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September 23, 2022
Greenberg Gross filed a lawsuit towards Santa Ana Unified College District (SAUSD) for sexual assault on the Orange County College of the Arts (OCSA) by its founder Ralph S. Opacic. The lawsuit alleges that, for many years, Opacic used his management of OCSA to create and foster a poisonous surroundings at OCSA that allowed him to prey on weak college students. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that the OCSA and SAUSD turned a blind eye to rumors and different crimson flags of Opacic’s misconduct with underage college students, all in an effort to guard the status of OSCA, well known as one of many premier arts faculties in Southern California and the nation.
OCSA opened as a constitution faculty for the humanities in Santa Ana in 2000. Opacic served because the founder and government director of OCSA till he retired on the finish of the 2021-2022 faculty yr.
As government director, Opacic stood ready of energy, respect, confidence, belief, and authority to Plaintiff and different college students below his care. The lawsuit alleges that the academics, school, and administration fed a cult-like mentality that helped protect Opacic when rumors about his sexual involvement with college students started to flow into.
Plaintiff entered OCSA in eighth grade. Plaintiff had been performing since he was a baby, and found a ardour for theatre and different performing arts. Rising up in Oakland, Plaintiff was bullied for his curiosity within the arts, and at last felt that he belonged when he started taking courses at OCSA. When Plaintiff was in his junior yr, Opacic started grooming him by, amongst different issues, sending him suggestive emails. Opacic then had an assistant pull Plaintiff out of historical past class and escort him to Opacic’s personal workplace. It was there that Opacic sexually assaulted Plaintiff behind closed doorways, later demanding him to not inform anybody in regards to the sexual assault.
The lawsuit alleges that SAUSD didn’t take any motion towards Opacic in reference to these occasions or the numerous rumors that had been circulating for years relating to his misconduct with college students. Consequently, Opacic was allowed continued entry to different college students for one more 17 years. The lawsuit alleges that SAUSD is liable each straight and on account of vicarious legal responsibility for the failure of its workers to inquire into or report suspicious actions.
On account of the above-described conduct, Plaintiff has suffered years of emotional misery. Plaintiff is suing below a California regulation that enables victims of childhood sexual assault to take authorized motion towards their perpetrator, or an individual or entity who owed them an obligation of care, no matter when the precise assault occurred. To make the most of this chance, any lawsuit have to be filed by December 31, 2022.
Greenberg Gross accomplice Brian Williams commented on the importance of the case:
“This groundbreaking case towards one of the prestigious performing arts faculties within the nation pulls the curtain again on what has occurred for a lot too lengthy at faculties of performing arts. Our brave shopper has determined that he should do his half to vary a tradition of abuse that have to be addressed as soon as and for all.”
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