LAUSD Unveils Policies to Protect Students From Sexual Predators
The call for change is challenging the long, drawn-out process that takes place when the district wants to fire a teacher.
By Toni Guinyard and Jason Kande
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy takes his seat following a closed-door meeting of the Board of Education in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. The district has implemented new policies to protect children against sex predators after a scandal involving two teachers at Miramonte Elementary School in Florence, Calif.
Los Angeles school board members on Monday are expected to unveil two resolutions to better protect children from sexual predators in schools.
The call for change is challenging the long, drawn-out process that takes place when the Los Angeles Unified School District wants to fire teachers.
Miramonte Abuse Scandal | School Abuse Scandal
Parents want to know when a teacher’s under investigation by the district or law enforcement.
They also want to know, in some cases, why a teacher is not fired.
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A coalition of board members will present two resolutions, one calling for the superintendent to strengthen the process of notifying parents and the state credentialing commission when a teacher is being investigated.
The other resolution would do the following:
.Alter the state education code to give the district the power to remove teachers immediately from the classroom when dismissal proceedings begin;
.Permit district officials to fire teachers over the summer;
.Mandate hearings without delay;
.Allow the district to stop paying teachers during the adjudication process;
.Strip pensions of employees convicted of sexual abuse of a minor.
The first resolution aims at streamlining the dismissal process for employees “engaged in acts of moral turpitude against children.”
The second is directed at policy changes to make it easier to identify and take action against employees who abuse children and create a uniform procedure for notifying parents and guardians.
The press conference announcing the changes is expected at 10 a.m. at LAUSD headquarters.
LAUSD Unveils Policies to Protect Students From Sexual Predators
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