Los Angeles teachers who face misconduct charges will no longer be forced to spend eight hours a day in so-called “teacher jail” following a big policy change by the LAUSD on Tuesday.
Previously, teachers placed on leave as a result of allegations of breaking rules, mishandling money or abusing students were required to spend each day in a district office while their case wound through the disciplinary process.
The process was condemned by United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents the Los Angeles Unified School District’s 31,000 teachers, as "humiliating" and a waste of resources.
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Most teachers on administrative leave are still paid, but cannot do work.
District spokesman Thomas Waldman confirmed the end of the practice, which will now allow teachers who are on leave to remain at home, similar to the disciplinary process for many other government agencies.
Teachers must remain in their home during the school day, however, and some teachers said they feel like the new policy is equally restrictive.
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"House arrest if you will, so it's definitely not the end of teacher jail," LAUSD teacher Stuart Lutz said.
The district has also been widely criticized for the length of time for such investigations to be completed. About 250 instructors are affected currently.
City News Service contributed to this report.
