North Bay woman speaks out about being molested by school coach

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- A North Bay woman is accusing her high school coach of molesting her and the principal of looking the other way.

Sherinne Wilson is now suing the San Ramon Valley School District and its former principal for $15 million.

Wilson says the abuse happened throughout the mid 1980s.

Newspaper clippings capture Wilson on the court, but her memories of high school are buried in her journals. "I lived with shame. I thought it was my fault," she said.

Wilson says her basketball coach Leland Sandler started a sexual relationship with her when she was 16, often giving her drugs and writing notes to excuse her from class. "He was a person in authority and we're still taught you listen to people in authority and respect them and that's what I did," Wilson said.

Eventually Wilson says her parents discovered the illicit relationship and confronted the principal at San Ramon Valley High School.

"The principal came up, told my parents that my four younger siblings would have to go to a different school if this came out and it would just be better for everybody if it didn't come out," Wilson said.

So nobody ever contacted police. Wilson says her coach was allowed to stay on the condition he stop any physical relationship with her.

What allegedly happened next, still brings Wilson to tears 30 years later.

She says the principal named James Henderson walked in on Sandler having sex with her again.

"I just remember our eyes meeting. And I remember thinking he's going to tell, he's going to do something, he's going to call the police now, this is going to be over. I remember a sense of relief and he basically turned around and locked the door and he never said a word," Wilson said.

In February, Wilson filed a $15 million lawsuit against the school district and her former principal.

Neither the school district, principal nor former coach have returned multiple requests for comment.

The case goes to court in July. "We believe the court will rule in Sherinne's favor because what happened here can't possibly be supported," attorney Jim Greenan said.

Wilson only came forward after reading about Kristen Cunnane's similar experience with a middle school coach in Moraga, who was later convicted.

Wilson hopes to empower other victims by sharing her story.

"It takes courage to talk about it and if i can help others do the same, they're going to become stronger and they're going to take control of their lives back," Wilson said.

She also wants her story to serve as a cautionary tale for today's teens, who she feels are especially at risk because of social media and Smartphones.