A San Rafael school board member is accused of sexually assaulting a minor when he worked as an education assistant.
Investigators arrested 22-year-old Isai Nicodemo Rodas on Tuesday. His arrest occurred after he joined the San Rafael Board of Education in December following his election.
Superintendent Carmen Diaz Ghysels announced Tuesday night that her administration and board will suspend Rodas from board duties for the “foreseeable future,” pending the outcome of the case.
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“We recognize the trust families and the community place in us and we are fully committed to taking all necessary steps to protect and support our students and staff,” she wrote in a statement.
The allegations against Rodas center on his time as a paraeducator with the Marin County Office of Education in 2023. He is accused of having inappropriate contact with a 16-year-old student at Marin’s Community School in San Rafael.
Graham said that Rodas was 20 years old at the time of his alleged misconduct. Investigators believe that he was involved in at least three incidents of sexual assault that happened off campus. Rodas’ work with the county education office ended last year, according to his online resume.
The MCOE staff notified the police late last week after a staff member reported suspected child abuse by a former employee, Marin County Superintendent of Schools John Carroll said.
“We are taking proactive steps to strengthen our safeguards and reinforce our expectation that all adults in our schools report suspected child abuse and maintain appropriate and professional boundaries with students,” he said Wednesday.
Carroll said that Rodas had worked as a paraeducator in the MCOE’s career technical education classes last year and he earlier worked with the Marin Multicultural Center. Rodas was also a College of Marin student when he was elected to the SRCS board.
In response to the arrest, Carroll said that his staff is providing on-site counseling to students and staff, conducting an investigation of the situation, and reviewing the staff’s policies and procedures.
San Rafael police detectives arrested Rodas on suspicion of felony sexual assault with a minor, child molestation and sexual battery.
Rodas was booked into the Marin County Jail on Tuesday. He was released later that day after he posted a $25,000 bond, Deputy Stephanie Ware said.
Alfiya Nachtigall, spokesperson for the Marin County District Attorney’s Office, said Wednesday that her staff is reviewing the Rodas case and they have not decided on filing charges yet.
Both Graham and Ghysels said it is currently unknown if Rodas was engaged in misconduct involving SRCS students. San Rafael Board of Education president Carolina Martin referred media inquiries to Ghysels.
Rodas could not be reached for comment Wednesday.