Newly surfaced deposition excerpts are raising fresh alarms at Los Angeles Unified, alleging that Andrés Chait, now the acting superintendent of LAUSD, personally approved the return of a suspended wrestling coach to John H. Francis Polytechnic High School on April 18, 2016. That coach, Terry Gillard, would later be convicted on dozens of sex-abuse charges and sent to prison for what prosecutors described as years of predatory behavior. Survivors and their attorneys say the latest court filings sharpen long-standing questions about how district leaders handled red flags about abuse.
What the deposition says
According to the New York Post, the deposition indicates that Chait authorized Gillard to return to campus on April 18, 2016 and chose not to send the district's standard 72-hour notice to parents. Chait allegedly said the notice was unnecessary because "there were no students involved." The Post reports that the testimony appears in court papers in ongoing civil lawsuits tied to Gillard's conduct. The filing also claims that in June 2017 a 17-year-old wrestler secretly recorded abuse and then reported it to school officials.
Coach's crimes and conviction
Terry Terrell Gillard was convicted in May 2019 of 37 felony and 10 misdemeanor counts stemming from the sexual abuse of students and later received a 71-year state prison sentence, according to the Los Angeles Times. Prosecutors told jurors the pattern of abuse went back decades and reached victims as young as 11, with incidents occurring both at Polytechnic High and at a Boys & Girls Club. Survivors' testimony, along with video evidence shown in court, helped secure the convictions, the Times reported.
Settlements and plaintiffs' claims
After the criminal case, families filed civil suits against LAUSD, and in October 2022 the district agreed to pay about $52 million to resolve consolidated claims tied to Gillard's abuse, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. Lead plaintiffs' attorney Morgan Stewart pointed to the size of the settlement as evidence of the "tremendous harm" inflicted on survivors and sharply criticized the district's investigative unit. According to the lawsuits, internal investigators concluded in 2016 that Gillard's denials were not believable but say they were blocked from fully sharing that assessment with administrators who controlled whether he would be reinstated.
Chait's role and the district's leadership
Chait, who was elevated to acting superintendent after the LAUSD board placed Alberto Carvalho on leave following FBI searches, is now under renewed scrutiny as the deposition excerpts circulate. NBC Los Angeles reported that Chait was appointed on Feb. 27, 2026 to stabilize the nation's second-largest school system, and the district's official biography says he "brings decades of experience as an educator and district leader." District officials have not issued a detailed public response that directly addresses the allegations contained in the new deposition material.
Why the deposition matters
Legal experts say deposition testimony suggesting administrators approved a coach's return despite serious concerns can be potent evidence in civil cases and can strengthen arguments that a district was institutionally negligent. A Los Angeles Times investigation has detailed a broader pattern of large, and sometimes confidential, payouts by California school districts over sex-abuse claims. Advocates and attorneys argue that history makes transparent procedures and clear reporting rules all the more crucial. Plaintiffs' lawyers say the new excerpts could bolster their contention that the district knew or reasonably should have known students were at risk.
What to watch next
Attorneys for survivors, along with some LAUSD board members, are expected to keep pushing for more information as the lawsuits advance and additional witnesses are questioned under oath. Our newsroom will continue tracking new court filings and official district statements for any developments tied to the allegations in the latest deposition excerpts.
