Benicia elementary school principal on leave amid turmoil over alleged sexual abuse by former teacher

BENICIA - The school principal at Robert Semple Elementary School was placed on paid administrative leave last week as the Benicia Unified School District conducts an investigation into claims made in pending litigation, according to an email sent to district parents on Sunday and obtained by the Vallejo Sun. 

A lawsuit filed last month involving four former students alleges that Robert Semple Elementary School Principal Christina Moore mishandled misconduct allegations from students about former 5th grade teacher Matthew Joseph Shelton during the 2022-2023 school year. 

Shelton was criminally charged this year with allegedly sexually abusing two students. Since the Vallejo Sun reported on the initial charges in February, a total of six students have come forward in three separate civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by Shelton and negligence by the district in hiring and retaining him. 

The April 24 suit, which represents four victims, claims that Moore  was made directly aware of Shelton’s alleged inappropriate conduct towards female students at Robert Semple in the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year. The suit claims Moore made it clear that she did not believe the students. Moore is not named as a defendant.

“This had a chilling effect on these students, as they felt like Ms. Moore was openly hostile to their attempts to inform her about a predatory teacher at Semple that was harming children,” the suit claims. 

Moore did not immediately respond to a request for comment but in a previous email said to direct all questions to the superintendent’s office. When reached for comment, Superintendent Damon Wright did not elaborate beyond the statement he sent to parents. 

Shelton, who taught at Robert Semple Elementary School since 2015, has been criminally charged with seven counts of lewd acts with a child involving two victims. Shelton had previously been arrested in 2007 for charges of sexually abusing students in Napa and acquitted the following year, according to the Napa Valley Register.

In a letter addressed to the Robert Semple community on Sunday, Wright said the decision to place the principal on leave was essential to ensure the integrity of the school community and uphold the district’s commitment to transparency and accountability. 

“Please rest assured that we are treating these allegations with the utmost seriousness. The investigation will be conducted thoroughly and impartially, reflecting our commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our students and staff,” Wright wrote.

Wright said that Stephanie Rice, the district’s director of educational services, would take on the responsibilities of the principal on an interim basis. 

The newest lawsuit was filed on April 29 and alleges a plaintiff identified as Jane Doe was sexually abused by Shelton while a student at Matthew Turner Elementary in 2019 when she was six or seven-years-old. The suit alleges the sexual abuse occurred during activities sponsored by the district, including a student field trip. 

Two criminal counts filed against Shelton in March involve the alleged victim in the April 29 lawsuit.

Spencer Lucas, a partner and trial lawyer representing the plaintiff in the suit with Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP, said the district allowed Shelton to drive children for school-sponsored field trips alone in his personal car. 

Lucas said he hopes the lawsuit will force the district to open up to their failures and fix a systemic problem. 

"This type of extreme failure of the school district in protecting our children - it has to come to an end," Lucas said.  “Hopefully other survivors out there and families see the strength of these other families that are coming forward so that everyone can seek justice.”