The Jefferson Union High School District in San Mateo County is being sued by a pair of students who allege two teachers sexually assaulted them, according to attorneys for the plaintiffs.

A current and a former student at Terra Nova High School in Pacifica allege they were sexually assaulted — one by Paul Spinetti and one by Ross Robert Ellison, both teachers — during the 2015-17 and 2024-25 school years.

Two lawsuits filed Aug. 12 against the district allege it failed to protect two young female students from grooming and sexual assaults by the teachers.

“It is our policy to not comment on pending litigation,” the school district’s director of communications Denise Shreve wrote in an email. “While the District cannot discuss specifics in these lawsuits because of privacy laws and due process rights, our commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment is unwavering.”

The district said it is cooperating with investigations into the teachers.

“Criminal guilt in these two situations has yet to be resolved. We are cooperating closely with local law enforcement as these cases proceed,” said Shreve. “The two civil lawsuits recently filed against JUHSD are concerning because they assert prematurely that district personnel failed to respond appropriately to complaints about alleged teacher misconduct.”

‘The creepy teacher’

The two students, identified only as Jane Does, were minors during the time of the alleged sexual assaults.

Jane Doe 1 was a freshman in special education classes during the during the 2024-25 school year, and alleges she was groomed and sexually assaulted by Spinetti, her woodshop teacher.

According to the lawsuit, she reported the assault to her mother, who contacted law enforcement. The complaint alleges that the school district had previous knowledge of Spinetti’s sexual misconduct such as inappropriate touching and making sexual comments towards female students, including rumors of him being “the creepy teacher.” The Pacifica Police Department arrested Spinetti in January on suspicion of lewd acts.

According to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, Spinetti has a misdemeanor charge for sexual battery and felony charge for lewd act on a child against him. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

The lawsuit alleges multiple complaints to the district dating back to 2015, including reports from students and parents about similar sexual misconduct, that the plaintiffs allege were ignored without investigations, terminations or reports to law enforcement or child protective services, despite state-mandated reporting laws.

“The two civil lawsuits recently filed against JUHSD are concerning because they assert prematurely that district personnel failed to respond appropriately to complaints about alleged teacher misconduct.” Denise Shreve, Jefferson Union High School District communications director

In a separate lawsuit, Jane Doe 2 alleges that between 2015 and 2017 as a junior and senior at Terra Nova, she was groomed and sexually assaulted by Ellison, her chemistry teacher.

The lawsuit alleges Ellison used his authority to build trust involving special attention, daily lunches, personal conversations, one-on-one emails, off-campus meetings and rides in his vehicle. The grooming behavior allegedly escalated to transporting Doe 2 off-campus for sexual intercourse and oral copulation, according to the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, after Doe 2 graduated from Terra Nova, a student informed the school guidance counselor of Ellison’s alleged sexual abuse of Doe 2 while she was a minor student and months later the district met with the student.

‘A breeding ground for abuse’

“Both cases highlight the district’s pattern of neglecting to train staff on detecting grooming, ignoring complaints, failing to monitor classrooms, and prioritizing its reputation over student safety,” said Lauren Cerri of the law firm Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, which filed the lawsuit.

“This could have been prevented. The school district put their own interest over the safety of the students — not once — but twice. The school is a breeding ground for abuse,” Cerri said.

The lawsuit alleges that Ellison resigned or was terminated shortly afterward. However, Ellison continues to maintain his California teaching credential, according to the law firm.

The plaintiffs allege that the school district knew of Ellison’s abusive behavior and failed to provide staff training on detecting grooming or properly monitoring classrooms, saying that the district prioritized its reputation at the expense of student safety instead.

“Our staff are trained to follow all laws, mandated reporting policies, and law enforcement guidance to protect our school community,” said Shreve.

The next court date for both cases is a case management conference on Jan. 29, 2026.