Fil-Am teacher arrested for alleged child molestation

CALIFORNIA, USA – The recent arrest of a schoolteacher for allegedly molesting students from his previous charter school job has prompted the West Contra Costa Unified School District to bolster its hiring policies.

Appearing in court last month, Ronald Guinto, 32, pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including lewd acts with a child and kidnapping, in connection with the molestation of students who attended Making Waves Charter School – where he worked before being hired to teach English and science at Mira Vista Elementary in West Contra Costa Unified. Guinto is scheduled to make his next court appearance in May.

On March 26, the West Contra Costa Unified board voted to beef up its policies by requiring background and reference checks for both new and returning employees. 

“We’re committed to do whatever we can so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again,” district board president Charles Ramsey told Philippine News. “No matter if you’re a new hire, rehire, substitute teacher or retiree, you’re going to get a check.”

Guinto’s attorney, Robert Beles, did not immediately return a phone message or an email from PNews seeking comment. But in a KTVU report, Beles described his client as a “young man (who) comes from a good family and has no prior record, so we’re optimistic that our investigation can show that some of these things just did not happen.”

A criminal investigation into Guinto was launched in November when police got a report of possible sexual misconduct during camping trips involving students from Making Waves. But while that investigation got under way, Guinto started teaching at Mira Vista in December.

West Contra Costa Unified hired Guinto after no red flags showed up at the time following a fingerprinting process and background check.

Although Guinto listed Making Waves as his previous employer, no one from West Contra Costa Unified called the charter for further information on him because he had worked as a district substitute before and was deemed a rehire instead of a new hire.

But that is one of the holes the district’s new policy revisions seek to close. “We’re trying to tighten things up,” Ramsey said. “We’ve also tightened up what we do with charter schools. Before they get approved by the district, their employees or teachers will have to go through” reference checks. 

Moreover, West Contra Costa Unified planned to ask the Contra Costa County Board of Education to require charters that the district approves to follow its same procedures. “We want to make sure things are uniform,” Ramsey said.

During the board meeting, West Contra Costa Unified Superintendent Bruce Harter also suggested that if an employee leaves a charter under suspicious circumstances that school should be required to inform the district.

In addition, West Contra Costa Unified is looking at ways to strengthen procedures pertaining to field trips after it came to light that Guinto allegedly sent district families fake permission slips for students to go camping in Yosemite. District officials were not aware of such a trip or the permission slips.

“We dodged a bullet big time,” Ramsey said. “He was on his way to do something with our kids in the district.” – with reports from KTVU and the Bay Area News Group/Rappler.com

This story was republished with permission from Philippine News