Texas School Administrator Accused of Sexually Harassing a Student and Several Employees

Several female employees of Ignite Public Schools (IPS) has come forward alleging that a school administrator sexually harassed them.

The administrator accused of creating a hostile work environment is Rigoberto Abrego, who works as the chief financial officer for IPS, which operates a number of charter schools in the Valley.

Abrego previously worked as an assistant superintendent for the Edinburg CISD, but was forced to resign in 2010 after sexual harassment allegations surfaced in the district.

One of the victims, who chose to remain anonymous, told local news station Action 4 News, that Abrego made repeated sexual advances towards her. She said, “It was just constantly, everyday harassing me and it was just unwanted basically.”

Another woman said that in one instance Abrego entered her office and asked her how she was doing. She replied that she “needed a massage” so Abrego began massaging her shoulders, aming her feel uncomfortable.  After that Abrego would walk by her and ask if she needed a massage.

The harassment didn’t stop with the female employees; a student came forward as well. The student said that on several occasions Abrego would purposely look at her breasts.

The IPS said they took the allegations seriously and would take the appropriate action, but some of the complainants are skeptical. Sexual harassment among school administrators isn’t unusual; recently, a California school district settled a harassment claim for over a million.

Ending the harassment is the main goal of any person who reports the behavior; however with the help of an accomplished sexual harassment attorney the victim can also seek financial compensation for their emotional distress and any lost wages.