Nov.

15, 2013

Superintendent John Deasy Media Comments: Mark Berndt Plea Deal

While the school district was not a party to the prosecutors plea deal, we are relieved that the students and families will be able to put this behind them and continue to move forward. Closing this chapter of the litigation is an important part of the healing process, and we are thankful it was done expeditiously and in a manner that spared the children the pain of litigation I join School Board president, Dr. Richard Vladovic, and the entire Board, in pledging my ongoing commitment to the students and families impacted by the incidents at Miramonte. We are committed to helping the community heal. As a school district, student safety is a top priority. In the two years since learning about the incidents at Miramonte, we have engaged in numerous efforts to continue to enhance student safety. Notably, the incidents at Miramonte highlighted the need for an enhanced and streamlined manner to dismiss teachers who hurt students. Although these efforts have been derailed by interest groups, we remain committed to making them a reality. We continue to call on law makers and labor leaders to make smart reforms to protect our students. School districts need to have greater speed and ease in removing teachers who are alleged to commit heinous crimes against children. Among other school district efforts over the past two years are: o Adopting a 72-hour parental notification policy for allegations of employee misconduct. Parents must now be notified in that window unless the school district is specifically directed otherwise by law enforcement. o Updating internal reporting structure for notification of alleged misconduct to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). This enhanced review process has allowed the school district to improve the flow of information and report to the CTC more quickly. --more--

Nov. 15, 2013 o Implementing more specialized resources at the local level. Through the reorganization of the school district into Educational Service Centers, there are now more dedicated specialists available to the school site to advise on and investigate misconduct issues. o Developing a specialized team of investigators to conduct administrative reviews of misconduct allegations. o Participating in a review by the California State Auditor into the handling and reporting of misconduct allegations. This review has included regular updates and the ongoing exchange of information. o Offering additional trainings for teachers and parents on how to spot and report potential misconduct. While the criminal case is over, we remain focused on reaching resolution with the remaining students and families. Our focus throughout this process has been to resolve these cases in a manner that respects the children and families involved, as well as sparing them the potential pain of lengthy litigation. We have successfully resolved nearly half of the cases stemming from Miramonte, and we did so in a manner that provides for the ongoing health and educational needs of the students. I am unaware that through this entire ordeal, that neither Mr. Berndt or his legal representatives have ever apologized to the victims, their families or the LAUSD family. I for one am sorry we had to go through this. I represent the LAUSD family and my heartfelt apology is offered to all of us for the pain that we have endured these last two years. We have continued to try and work with legislators and the entire Legislature to make it easier and far less expensive to remove employees who have allegedly committed heinous acts on children. We have not been successful. I am not interested in adjusting or tweaking current laws so that all the adult constituencies are comfortable. All I hear through the process is, Were not comfortable with those changes. Really? Really? Youre not comfortable with those changes? You feel discomfort? Come with me and spend time with some of the victims at Miramonte. Come with me and talk to parents who try to make sense out of what happened to them. Come talk to teachers who had the trust of children in their hands in a room next door. Thats discomfort. I think we can do much better. Im only interested in wholesale changes to the laws that protect students first. That is our constituencytheir rights. They dont have a lobbyist, a union, an advocateeven a voice, so we will push hard. We will relentlessly demand and insist on nothing less. --more--

Nov. 15, 2013 Were not going to stand up for a change in law that is as good as we can get right now. But, rather, for change that is entirely the right thing to do for our youth. Lastly, these laws directly resulted in districts, including LAUSD, in doing whatever it can or had to, to get these individuals out of this system quicker and less expensive. In Berndts case, LAUSD spent $40,000 to end his challenge to our recommendation to fire him. I want our $40,000 back! I want our $40,000 returned to LAUSD so we can spend it on hiring more counselors to join the already amazing group of individuals who have been working with the victims of this depraved individual. If the tone appears angry, Ive been angry for two years. Ive been angry that we have been unable to change laws to protect students. I have been angry that we have had to provide support for heinous acts. I have been angry that we cannot seem to find a way in this state to rally around youths rights first. Weve pushed that anger into action and we have fundamentally changed this system from the first day I learned about this to a way that protects students and supports adults, and were not going to stop at that. So I join the Miramonte family in moving forward in the healing process and side-by-side with their support. ####
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