What began as a Poway Unified School District board meeting where parents were expected to voice concerns about ongoing mold issues quickly turned into an emotional discussion about allegations involving a former educator.
During Thursday night’s meeting, a father identified as 'Andrew' delivered an emotional public comment, accusing a former teacher of inappropriate conduct involving his daughter and criticizing the district for what he says was a lack of communication with other families.
“As a father, I'm forced to watch my little princess break inside every single day from the damage done under your watch,” Andrew said during the meeting.
Andrew is among parents involved in a civil lawsuit against the Poway Unified School District related to allegations involving former Del Norte High School educator named in the lawsuit, Kaitlyn Barron.
The lawsuit, filed last year, involves five students who allege they were abused or exploited by Barron, according to court documents.
The allegations center on the students’ time in an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, at Del Norte High School beginning in the fall of 2023. Barron is identified in the lawsuit as a resource teacher who worked directly with the students.
According to the complaint, Barron initially offered to tutor students before or after school. The lawsuit alleges that she later insisted the tutoring take place at her home.
The complaint further alleges that students were invited to sleepovers and that Barron provided minors with alcohol and other substances. It also alleges that students were encouraged to drink to the point of blacking out and makes additional allegations involving inappropriate sexual contact.
Those allegations have not been proven in court.
The lawsuit also claims that district employees were aware Barron was interacting with students in what the complaint describes as 'unauthorized and inappropriate' settings.
Andrew told ABC 10News that his biggest concern is that, in his view, other families were not warned about the allegations.
“It's been two years since this incident and we still have not received a warning or safety advice to anybody,” he said.
Andrew said he decided to speak publicly because he wants other parents to be aware of what he alleges happened.
“You don't know what could happen to your own kid,” he said.
The lawsuit and the allegations against Barron have drawn renewed attention after a local activist highlighted the case, prompting parents to attend Thursday’s board meeting.
The meeting also came as parents continue to deal with the district’s ongoing mold-related issues, including the extended closure of Del Sur Elementary School.
Late Thursday, the district told ABC 10News it could not comment on existing or pending litigation. The district did confirm, however, that Barron is not currently employed by Poway Unified School District.
The allegations contained in the lawsuit remain allegations, and the defendants are entitled to due process as the legal proceedings continue.
