Teacher accused of inappropriately touching student

Detectives arrested a former South Bay elementary school teacher last week after a student accused him of inappropriate touching during class, opening a third active legal case against the suspect in Santa Clara County.

Police began an investigation in October after the student, who is not being identified, accused Santa Clara resident Bryan Rios, 42, of inappropriate touching during class at Theuerkauf Elementary School several years ago. Rios is no longer employed by the school.

It is not the first allegation against Rios, who taught this year at Aptitud Community Academy in San Jose, the Mercury News reported, though his name has been removed from the school’s website. Rios was accused in 2017 of sexually assaulting a former colleague.

A subsequent investigation into his behavior by the Mountain View school district found that Rios sexually harassed several colleagues at Theuerkauf Elementary, and he was placed on leave. In April 2018, he resigned.

That year, the school district sent a letter to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing outlining the allegations against Rios, according to the Mercury News.

A year later, the commission closed its investigation and recommended “no adverse action,” the newspaper reported. The commission declined to comment on the matter to the news organization, citing privacy laws.

Police believe there may be more victims and ask that anyone who is or knows a potential victim of Rios contact Detective Lauren Riffel at lauren.riffel@mountainview.gov.