10/4/2022
The daughter of a legendary high school coach is accused of sexually abusing several former Colton High School football players during her time as the team’s athletic trainer.
“It took place basically everywhere within Colton High School,” said the football players’ attorney Brian Williams. “That would include the locker room for the varsity football players, training rooms, weight rooms, classrooms, bathrooms, in vans to football-related events and at a few homes.”
Tiffany Strauss Gordon is accused of sexually abusing six teenagers decades ago. A lawsuit was filed against Strauss-Gordon and the Colton Joint Unified School District by the alleged victims from San Bernardino who are now in their 30s.
“The District has made itself, and will continue to make itself, completely available to the Colton Police Department,” school officials wrote in a statement. “The District is committed to ensuring that law enforcement has access to all of the facts and information for their investigation.”
The victims claim their now deceased coach Harold Strauss — a legend in football circles — and other staff were aware of the red flags of the sexual abuse.
One time, the lawsuit states, Strauss-Gordon disappeared with a player at her father’s home after a team dinner and engaged in a sex act. Gordon’s misconduct was not a secret and the abuse allegedly lasted for years, according to the victims’ lawyer.
Another alleged instance of sexual abuse happened inside the locker room.
“Unexpectedly, Coach Strauss entered the locker room, interrupting Gordon’s ongoing sexual assault of John Doe 7046,” attorneys said in the lawsuit. “When Coach Strauss made his way through the locker room, he confronted the two and asked why the lights were off. Gordon made excuses claiming they were closing up and leaving.”
Williams said that rather than doing something about the sexual assaults, coaches made jokes about Gordon’s behavior calling it “Tiffany’s special treatment.”
Meanwhile, the Colton school district said it was “very concerned” by the allegations raised in the lawsuit. Strauss-Gordon has been placed on administrative leave, the school said.
“Although the current administrative team members were not in leadership roles with the District 20 years ago, the district leadership team is extremely concerned about the allegations being made,” the school told the East Bay Times.
“Our commitment is always to the safety and well-being of our students, families and staff, and we will work with local law enforcement to protect our community and lend our support to any victims in this case.”
An attorney representing Strauss-Gordon if she faces a criminal charge stressed to the Los Angeles Times no charges have been filed against her.
Lawyer Paul Wallin said being involved with students for more than two decades, there are “no allegations of wrongdoing ever been brought in all that time by any student.
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