A walk-on volleyball coach at Etiwanda High was arrested last week on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material. Within days, the case had become a talking point in California's race for state superintendent of public instruction.
Republican candidate Sonja Shaw says the coach is transgender and that the school wasn't straight with parents. The school district says it has found no connection between the alleged crime and its students or campus. Here's what's known, what's disputed, and why it's landed in the middle of a statewide election.
The Arrest
The facts of the arrest come from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Detectives at the Rancho Cucamonga station received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an upload of child sexual abuse material. They identified 21-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident Adam Quach as the suspect and say they found several images and videos on Quach's electronic devices.
Quach was arrested Sept. 24 and booked into the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of possession of child pornography, with bail set at $50,000. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Antonio Alcala at (909) 477-2800. Anonymous tips can go to We-Tip at 844-909-3006.
An arrest isn't a conviction, and any formal charges would come from the San Bernardino County District Attorney. The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported that it could not reach Quach for comment.
What the District Says
Quach coached Etiwanda's freshman girls' volleyball team as a walk-on, meaning a coach who isn't also a teacher or other regular staff member. Etiwanda is part of the Chaffey Joint Union High School District.
Superintendent Mathew Holton told the Daily Bulletin that Quach has been removed and barred from campus. He said neither the police investigation nor the district's own review has found evidence connecting the alleged crime to any Etiwanda student, employee, campus, or program. The Bulletin also reports that authorities have identified no victims at the school.
After learning of the arrest, the district contacted every family in the volleyball program and met with the team twice. Students were encouraged to talk to an administrator or the school resource officer about any concerns.
On locker rooms, Holton said volleyball coaches don't go into the locker room while players are changing and aren't issued keys. He also said no concerns about Quach's conduct or locker-room access had been reported before the arrest. The district has no policy on locker-room access based on gender identity, he said, but follows state law and existing privacy and safety rules.
California requires covered noncertificated employees or volunteers to obtain an Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate or DOJ and FBI criminal background clearance before working with students. Nothing reported so far indicates whether Quach had any prior record.
[EDITOR: Ask Chaffey JUHSD to confirm Quach's clearance and hiring date.]
Shaw's Concerns
Shaw, who is president of the Chino Valley Unified school board, brought the case to wider attention in a video posted to her campaign's Facebook page. She told the Daily Bulletin that parents had reached out to her about it.
Her core argument is about transparency and privacy. According to the Bulletin, a letter from Etiwanda's principal informed volleyball families of the arrest. It referred to the coach as "Coach Alice," used "she," and said the charges were unrelated to the school.
Shaw says that left parents unaware that the coach was, in her words, a biological male, and she calls the letter a cover-up. She says parents have told her the coach used girls' restrooms and was present in the locker room. She also argues that women coaches routinely have access to girls' locker rooms, so parents deserved to know.
Some of that is confirmed and some isn't:
- The letter. It did use the name "Coach Alice" and female pronouns, and it did tell families about the arrest.
- The restroom and locker-room accounts. These come from parents who haven't been publicly identified, and they haven't been independently verified. They conflict with the district's statement that no such concerns were reported before the arrest.
- The coach's gender identity. Quach hasn't commented publicly. The Daily Bulletin describes Quach as "apparent[ly]" transgender, based on how officials and the school referred to the coach.
The Criticism
Equality California executive director Tony Hoang told the Bulletin that the allegations are serious and disturbing. He also accused Shaw of focusing on the suspect's gender identity rather than on potential victims, and noted that she hasn't spoken out about other recent cases involving cisgender men accused of crimes against children.
The underlying debate over transgender people in girls' and women's spaces is a long-running one. Supporters of restrictions say they're needed to protect girls' privacy and safety. Opponents often point to research from UCLA's Williams Institute, which focuses on LGBTQ law and policy. Its researchers found no evidence that trans-inclusive facility laws increased safety or privacy incidents. The Boston Globe discussed the study's findings and methods.
In this case, the alleged crime as described by the sheriff involves material uploaded online, not conduct on campus.
Who Is Sonja Shaw?
Shaw has become one of California's most visible voices on parental rights and transgender policy in schools.
- Parental notification. In 2023, her Chino Valley board adopted a policy requiring staff to notify parents if a student asked to use a different name or pronouns. Attorney General Rob Bonta sued, calling it a "forced outing" policy, and a judge blocked it.
- The Thurmond ejection. In 2023, she presided over a meeting where current state Superintendent Tony Thurmond was escorted out during a debate over transgender students.
- Girls' sports. She has protested transgender athletes' participation in girls' sports, including at the CIF state track championships in May. On Sept. 24, she was removed from a CIF Southern Section meeting after interrupting it to demand that officials take up the issue.
Her supporters see her as a parent advocate willing to challenge state policy. Her critics see her positions as targeting transgender students. She has emphasized parental rights and transgender policy.
The Race
Shaw finished first in June's primary, slightly ahead of Democrat Richard Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified school board, and the two advance to the Nov. 3 runoff.
Barrera is backed by the California Teachers Association, whose independent expenditure committee has put $5 million behind him, and he has emphasized improving schools. The office is officially nonpartisan.
After the primary, each candidate told CalMatters the results favored their vision. Shaw said voters want accountability and academic excellence. Barrera accused Shaw of using her platform to divide people.
The Daily Bulletin couldn't reach Barrera or his campaign for comment on the Etiwanda case.
