|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Los Altos High School Assistant Principal Kristin Castillo is on paid administrative leave after a lawsuit alleged she groomed and sexually harassed a student while she worked at Santa Clara High School in 2006.
Castillo was placed on paid leave on Aug. 11, a week after the civil suit was filed and the day after the 2026-27 school year began for Mountain View Los Altos High School District students.
Filed by the Irvine-based firm of Manly, Stewart, Finaldi & Thom on Aug. 3, the lawsuit alleged Castillo sexually abused, assaulted, battered and harassed an unnamed victim, who was a minor and student at Santa Clara High School at the time. Castillo was a district employee from 2004-2014, according to Santa Clara Unified Deputy Superintendent Mark Schiel.
According to the lawsuit, Castillo allegedly used her position of authority and trust to sexually harass the victim, who was under her care as an employee at the high school. Castillo was a math teacher and a coach of the girls’ volleyball and basketball teams, according to a yearbook from the 2005-06 school year.
Allegations included sexual touching, contact and conduct with the victim. The abuse occurred when the victim and Castillo were inappropriately allowed to be alone together, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also named as defendants Jane Does 1-100 and the Santa Clara Unified High School District, which operates Santa Clara High School. The victim alleged the district and others employed there knew of Castillo’s actions and did nothing to prevent abuse of the victim or other potential victims.
Schiel refused to comment on an ongoing lawsuit.
Mountain View Los Altos High School District Associate Superintendent Leyla Benson declined to say whether Castillo was placed on leave because of the allegations in the lawsuit. She said the district limits its response to personnel matters. She also declined to say whether Castillo worked with students in a close capacity. Castillo joined the district in 2016 as the student services coordinator. In 2022, she was appointed assistant principal.
In an email to the Voice, Morgan Stewart, one of the attorneys representing the victim, said Santa Clara Unified’s mistake exposed students to a predator.
“Instead of removing the alleged predator from the schools, she was promoted and was working as an administrator at Los Altos High School 20 years later, placing children there at risk,” Stewart said.
Benson could not verify whether the district had received reports of sexual harassment involving Castillo since she joined the district in 2016, but she said the district investigates all student concerns.
“MVLA takes student safety seriously and investigates all complaints and concerns received,” Benson said.
Despite multiple attempts at contact, efforts to reach Castillo for comment were unsuccessful.
The lawsuit and Castillo’s administrative leave were first reported on by The Talon, Los Altos High School’s student newspaper.
