Teacher arrested in alleged rape of student 2 decades ago

A high school teacher in San Jose was arrested on suspicion of raping and sexually assaulting a student more than two decades ago, police said Monday.

Shawn Thomas, 56, of Los Gatos was arrested in San Jose on Friday and booked into Santa Clara County main jail in connection with the rape and sexual assault of a minor at Leigh High School, according to police.

The sexual assault, which authorities said occurred sometime between 2002 and 2003, was reported to police on March 8. Police said that Thomas was a teacher at Leigh High School and the victim was a student at the school when the incident occurred.

At the time of his arrest Friday, Thomas still taught at Leigh High School and was also a coach for football as well as track and field at Los Gatos High School, police said.

Campbell Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Bravo told parents in a letter Monday that Thomas was placed on administrative leave and ordered to not contact any students or staff. Bravo said the district was cooperating with the police investigation.

“The safety and well-being of our students are of paramount importance to us, and any form of misconduct is taken extremely seriously,” Bravo said. “While we understand that this news may be concerning, we want to assure you that we are committed to maintaining a safe and nurturing environment for all our students.”

In a statement to the Chronicle on Monday, a Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District spokesperson said, “The district does not comment on personnel matters or ongoing police investigations. Ensuring the safety and security of our school community is our highest priority. As per our standard employment protocol, all coaches are required to undergo thorough background checks and fingerprinting prior to their initial hire.”

Officials at Leigh High School and Los Gatos High School did not immediately respond to a request for comment.