How Many Students Can a Teacher Molest Before Desert Sands Unified School District Actually Does Something?
Maybe this seems like a no-brainer: any teacher who is reported to have behaved inappropriately should immediately be suspended, pending an investigation. And if that investigation yields results that corroborate the student’s testimony, you might assume that teacher would immediately be fired, if not hauled off to jail.
Unless your child attends Desert Sands Unified, in which case the answer is either 8 or 15. That’s how many students Robert Keith Bryan has molested (8), and how many different students (15) have reported that he behaved in an inappropriate way. In an extraordinary piece of investigative journalism by The Desert Sun, the true horror of Robert Keith Bryan’s actions is laid out, as is the total and complete lack of action taken by Desert Sands United. As one victim’s mother so succinctly points out:
“You can be mad at the criminal, the predator, because he’s the one who did this, but the scariest thing is that it happened in the school. I trusted the school district, and that’s who failed us.”
A systemic betrayal of students
Robert Keith Bryan didn’t suddenly start touching students in Desert Sands Unified; the first accusation was leveled at him in 1985, when he worked for Coachella Valley Unified. He resigned, and in return Coachella agreed not to say anything. They even recommended him to Desert Sands. So, while the first betrayal is with Robert Keith Bryan, the second is by Coachella Valley Unified.
Every other one falls squarely at the feet of Desert Sands Unified. They knew, and still they did nothing. If Robert Keith Bryan hadn’t chosen the daughter of a policeman for his next victim, he might still be in their schools, touching their students, today.
Time to call in the Calvary
These are heartbreaking, gut-turning stories. These children – some of whom are grown women, now – deserve justice. Dave Ring and Jim Lewis of Taylor & Ring are demanding that justice for multiple victims in multiple lawsuits against Robert Keith Bryan and Desert Sands Unified. We have spent years fighting on behalf of sexual abuse victims in and around Los Angeles, and we know what it takes to build a successful case.
If you are a victim of Robert Keith Bryan, please contact Taylor & Ring and ask for Dave Ring or Jim Lewis, who have handled this case from the start and were instrumental in exposing Desert Sands’ cover-up through the litigation they pursued on behalf of victims. You can fill out our contact form, or call us at 310.776.6390.
Serving clients throughout the Greater Los Angeles and Southern California area, we represent victims in a variety of civil litigation cases. If you or a loved one has been injured, turn to an experienced Los Angeles personal injury or sexual assault lawyer.
Find out more about Taylor & Ring.