A Saugus High School substitute teacher has been suspended by the William S. Hart Union High School District after being arrested on suspicion of having oral sex with a student.
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station booking logs indicate that David Cornish, 28, of Valencia was arrested Wednesday afternoon on suspicion of felonious oral copulation with a person under the age of 16.
The allegations of an unlawful sexual relationship between the substitute teacher and female student are suspected to have occurred between April and May of this year, according to an L.A. County Sheriff’s Department news release about the arrest.
Hart District officials said on Thursday the district had provided instruction for all students through a distance learning model due to the COVID-19 pandemic-related shutdown.
Cornish was arrested at his Valencia residence by investigators with the LASD Special Victims Unit, who are responsible for investigating the sexual and physical abuse of children and felonious sexual assaults involving adult victims.
Cornish was booked at the SCV Sheriff’s Station on arrest charge 287(B) 2 PC, “any person over 21 years of age who participates in an act of oral copulation with another person who is under 16 years of age is guilty of a felony,” as well as lewd acts with a minor.
Cornish was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
No other victims were reported as a result of the investigation, according to law enforcement officials.
Cornish was listed on the Hart District board meeting agenda from Sept. 18, 2019, as a substitute teacher whose effective starting date was Sept. 19, 2019.
“The Hart District is deeply concerned that one of our substitute teachers, David Cornish, was arrested and is expected to be charged with engaging in sexual misconduct with a Saugus High School minor student,” Hart District officials wrote in a statement released Thursday. “The district strives to provide a safe educational environment for all of our students, and we are saddened and disturbed that one of our substitute teachers is being charged with this misconduct.”
District officials said they suspended Cornish upon learning of the allegations.
“Pursuant to California law, upon receipt of a copy of the formal charge, additional action will be taken, including possible immediate termination, and the matter will be reported to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing,” the district statement read.
Anyone with information regarding this case can contact the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau, Sgt. Brian Hudson, at 661-471-1500. The Special Victims Bureau also has a toll-free tip line at 877-710-5273 and can be reached by email at [email protected].
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP or “P3 Mobile” for the hearing impaired on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
