LAUSD Employees to Receive “Special Training” on Child Abuse Awareness

LAUSD superintendent calls for "special training" for teachers and staff of the nation's second largest district

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy plans to send on Monday a video message to the district's 84,000 employees and staff, reminding them to review a packet of steps they must take for any unacceptable behavior by teachers, staff, parents or community members against students.

“I ask that you as a staff you set aside time to review the special training you are going to receive from our experts,” Deasy said in the four-minute video, which was posted first on the dailynews.com website on Friday.

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Teachers and staff will be required to review reporting forms about what to do if there is suspicion that a child has been abused physically or mentally.

Deasy stressed to employees that the arrests of two teachers at Miramonte Elementary School for sex crimes “do not reflect on you or your professionalism.

“Just because a few members have done terrible things, that are being dealt with appropriately by law enforcement officials, that does not reflect on the amazing teaching, leadership and classified staff that I see every day in LAUSD,” Deasy said.

The former Miramonte employees reported to work at the yet-to-be opened Augustus Hawkins High School where they are getting counseling and are being interviewed by officials investigating abuse allegations at Miramonte, Deasy said.

A new staff of teachers, meanwhile, has taken on duties at Miramonte, where each classroom has a teacher and a counselor to support the students.

“Let me be very clear,” Deasy said. “After all our investigations are complete, and no additional issues emerge, every staff member of Miramonte who is now at Augustus Hawkins will have the opportunity to return to the school.”

City News Service contributed to this report.

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