HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A supervisor of a former Guahan Academy Charter School teacher testified at the teacher’s trial related to a 2021 sexual assault of a student.
On Monday morning in the Superior Court of Guam, the trial for former Guahan Academy Charter School teacher Darrell Lujan who stands accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student in 2021 continued.
To start trial for the week, GACS principal at the time the incident was reported, Lynda Hernandez-Avilla, was called to testify as a witness by the Office of the Attorney General.
As part of her questioning, prosecutor Christine Tenorio asked Hernandez-Avilla to read a statement that Lujan provided after a complaint alleging sexual assault was made to the school’s administration.
“For the life of me, if this incident actually happened last year as they said it to be, then it is justified for me since we did not obtain a privately owned vehicle until this year,” Lujan’s statement read by Hernandez-Avilla said.
“This is my livelihood they are dealing with. I would never do such (a) thing. At this point, I am besides myself,” Lujan’s statement concluded.
Hernandez-Avilla then went on to explain she placed Lujan on administrative leave and called authorities, who later conducted an investigation.
Previous incident
After reading the statement and discussing receiving the complaint against Lujan, Tenorio asked about a previous incident involving the 14-year-old student and Lujan.
The incident as explained by Hernandez-Avilla took place in early 2022 when the student complained Lujan embarrassed the student in class after Lujan “cussed” at the student about the student “not calling him back.”
Hernandez-Avilla continued to explain that a parent teacher conference was held, and she also met with Lujan to discuss boundaries.
“I did tell him that he needed to know his boundaries and be professional about contacting students after school hours,” Hernandez-Avilla recalled, adding the student’s parents thought it was inappropriate.
During opening statements, Tenorio explained how the student’s family trusted Lujan, and it wasn’t out of the ordinary for Lujan to spend time with the victim outside of school.
Cross-examination
After Tenorio finished her questions, Lujan’s attorney Peter Santos from the Alternate Public Defender asked Hernandez-Avilla about Lujan’s “work ethic and demeanor as a teacher.”
The former principal explained Lujan, a CHamoru teacher, was “very passionate” and “personal” with his students.
“He … only wants what is best for them,” Hernandez-Avilla added.
Santos then asked if the meeting early last year occurred after Lujan allegedly sexually assaulted the student.
Considering Lujan was accused of molesting the victim in Lujan’s car in 2021, Hernandez-Avilla confirmed the meeting happened after the allegations.
Additionally, Santos asked if there were other students who complained about Lujan.
“I think we had maybe one or two students that were somewhat offended because Siñot Lujan, you know, it was because he had so much passion, that he wanted his students to do good, that they felt he was too emotional,” Hernandez-Avilla explained.
Darrell Lujan
