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The expansion of the San Benito County Jail—which will increase the correctional facility’s housing capacity by about 50 percent—is well underway on Flynn Road in north Hollister. But the county has not yet budgeted all of the costs to open the jail and keep...

The mother of one of Hollister's John Loyd’s victims sobbed at the convicted child molester’s sentencing hearing in Morgan Hill this morning, as she read a letter from her daughter describing the lasting trauma the former teacher’s crimes had on her. The girl was 10 years old at the time of the crime.

“This incident has ruined part of my childhood,” the mother read from her daughter’s statement. “I’m afraid to be alone, and I never feel safe.”

The mother, who was identified only as the mother of “Jane Doe no. 2” at the hearing at South County Courthouse, added that her daughter entered Loyd’s fifth grade class at Paradise Valley Elementary School “eager to learn,” and looking up to the teacher as a potential “positive role model.”

“Instead, my daughter has memories of ugliness,” after Loyd “repeatedly” tried to lure the child away from her classmates to be alone with him in the classroom. After Loyd sexually assaulted the student on one occasion, she remained in constant fear that he might do it again every day she sat in his classroom.

“Let him think about what he did to our daughter and other girls. Let him feel the fear of prison like our daughter felt of him,” the mother added.

Loyd was sentenced Oct. 5 to 40 years in prison.

On Aug. 3, Loyd, 53 of Hollister, pleaded guilty to four counts of lewd and lascivious conduct toward four different children—all young girls who attended his fifth-grade class at Paradise Valley Elementary in southwest Morgan Hill. At that hearing, Loyd’s attorney and prosecutor Tim McInerny of the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office announced that Loyd had agreed to the 40-year prison sentence in exchange for pleading guilty and avoiding a trial that could have forced victims and families to testify in public.

Superior Court Judge Edward Lee said Oct. 5, in formally sentencing Loyd, that his crimes are “violent sex acts,” and the former teacher would be on parole for at least 20 years after his release from prison.

Authorities expect Loyd to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, meaning he will be about 87 years old before he is eligible for parole.

Loyd was arrested Oct. 2, 2014, after the first victim told her parent and Morgan Hill police investigators that he made inappropriate contact with her in the classroom. After his arrest, more victims came forward and alerted authorities to similar contact Loyd had made with them.

Loyd, who taught at Paradise Valley since 2008, was fired from Morgan Hill Unified School District a few days after his arrest. He worked for the district since 2000, and previously taught at Nordstrom Elementary School before being transferred to Paradise Valley.

During the sentencing hearing, McInerny read two more letters—from another parent and victim—thanking authorities for prosecuting Loyd and describing the impact his crimes had on them. The unnamed victim added that she forgives Loyd, and she is “happy” she can move on with her life.

“Thank you for making me stronger,” McInerny read from the girl’s letter.

Outside the courtroom, McInerny added that he hopes the 40-year sentence will send a message.

“What happens in the dark always comes to light,” McInerny said. “He deserves every day of the 40 years he was sentenced to. He displayed classic child molester ‘grooming’ behavior—isolating the girls…telling they they’re special. He’s a despicable individual and he deserves everything he’s got coming.”

Attorney, families to push new legislation

Shortly after the Oct. 5 hearing, attorney Robert Allard of the Corsiglia McMahon & Allard law firm announced that the victims’ parents are seeking legislation to require educators receive training to recognize signs of “predatory grooming behavior,” the firm announced in a press release.

Allard and attorney Lauren Cerri represent three of Loyd’s victims, who are suing MHUSD for allegedly failing to act on a series of “red flags” that should have alerted school faculty and the administration to his behavior.

Based on the attorneys’ investigation, led by a former San Jose Police Sergeant, numerous complaints about Loyd had been submitted to three different MHUSD principals, but these complaints were ignored by administrators, according to the attorneys.

Starting in 2005, the first victim was required by Loyd to stay after class several times per week, reads the press release. During that time and until his arrest, Loyd placed curtains on his classroom windows to obstruct the view from outside, and always kept his door closed and locked when alone with kids.

The press release added that Loyd was allowed to turn his classroom into a “dungeonesque” environment, and each of the parents’ complaints were “reduced to handwritten principal’s notes which never found their way to Loyd’s personnel file.” The notes were subsequently destroyed as principals transitioned to other locations.

One complaint, in 2010, alleged that Loyd was trading candy for hugs from students, and another 2013 grievance accused the teacher of giving preferential treatment to certain children, according to Allard’s press release.

Current laws make it mandatory for certain educators to receive child abuse training within the first six weeks of each school year, but Allard and the families of the victims want to go further. They also want laws to require educators to receive mandatory training to identify grooming behavior and report it; require each school district to centralize all complaints; and require that all parents be provided with information about grooming behavior and be told clearly how to report their concerns. Allard and the plaintiffs also want the law to require districts to notify parents about the “nature and extent of training provided on an annual basis.”

“The molestations of each of these children…were completely preventable and would not have occurred if educators had been adequately trained on detecting and addressing predatory behavior,” Allard’s press release states.

Loyd declined to make a statement when the judge asked him if he wanted to speak at the Oct. 5 hearing.

His attorney, Lawrence Biegel, said Loyd is “aware the sentence is appropriate.” While in custody at Santa Clara County Jail—where he will remain until his transfer to a state prison—Loyd has written letters to each of his victims asking them “not to let what he did ruin their lives,” Biegel added.

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The community room of the Gilroy Library transformed into a walk-through installation on Nov. 5, depicting the life of civil rights champion and co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, Dolores Huerta, who coined the phrase, “Sí se puede” (Yes, we can). Huerta briefly taught...

I am willing to bet that most people have a fence somewhere on their property. Perhaps their yard, like mine, is surrounded by a fence. Sometimes fences are needed to contain pets or livestock, and sometimes they are constructed to exclude unwanted animals, such as deer. Some fences provide security for the occupants. All of these are valid reasons for constructing a fence, but whatever the reason, a fence will likely have an effect on wildlife.

Open Studios preview exhibition