Mission school district named in sexual abuse suit

EDINBURG — The Mission school district is named as a co-defendant in the latest lawsuit filed against Genaro Vela, the former Boy Scout leader and track coach arrested on child sexual abuse charges in June 2006.

An unnamed plaintiff filed a suit in state district court earlier this month against Vela, the local Boy Scouts of America chapter and the Mission school district, where Vela was a longtime teacher and coach. It was not clear if the plaintiff knew Vela through the Boy Scouts or the school district.

Vela and the Boy Scouts were the only defendants in previous suits, all of which also were filed anonymously. It is The Monitor’s policy to not identify victims, or alleged victims, of sexual assault.

In the latest suit, the plaintiff also names the school district as a defendant, alleging that employees there knew of the abuse. The district does not comment on pending lawsuits, and a Mission spokesman said no exception would be made in this instance.

Vela pleaded guilty in March to a long list of abuse and indecency charges, prompting accusations that the Boy Scouts organization had allowed the abuse to continue unchecked. The local Boy Scout chapter has denied that claim.

The chapter’s attorneys filed a motion Monday in the 398th state District Court to consolidate the pending three lawsuits into one case. Judge Aida Salinas Flores is scheduled to make a decision on the motion Thursday.

The first lawsuit, filed in April by a former Boy Scout, is scheduled to go to trial in February.

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Monitor staff writer Zack Quaintance contributed to this report.

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James Osborne covers McAllen and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4428.