Scandalized LA elementary school is replacing the entire staff of 150

[Grace62]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/20...laced.html

This seems pretty drastic but I can also understand the need to try and get beyond this terrible episode and restore trust. Apparently there are so many recently laid off teachers and staff in LA that they can replace everyone quickly.

Just spoke with my brother in law about this, he's a middle school principal in LA and we've often spoken about how ridiculously huge the schools are down there. This elementary school had 1,500 students - what administrator could manage that? Makes it easier for teachers to hide really bad behavior I suppose.

[cbelt3]

"The district had closed the meeting to the media even though parents demanded that reporters and cameras be allowed in. The district refused."

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Hiding the truth to Protect Your Children('s Abusers)....
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Blech.

[hal]

whatta mess - feel sorry for those losing their jobs through no fault of their own...

[Rolando]

Losing their careers too.
"So you were at that pervert school?!? We'll let you know."

[Grace62]

The people being replaced will continue to be paid and will receive counseling. They are not getting fired. The article says that many of them will likely be returned to the same school at some point in the future.
So in other words, an extremely expensive way for the district to handle this, they must think the threat of parent lawsuits is worse.

[davester]

This sounds like a completely insane response. On what basis could you possibly judge that the 150 incoming new hires would be a lesser threat than those already there. Unless there is some overwhelming evidence of a vast conspiracy of perverts amongst the school staff, I would say the school board is out of their collective minds.

[Gutenberg]

It's just a technique called zero-based staffing. it's used a lot with failing schools. Clear out the entire staff and rehire. Staff members go into the pool and could be rehired at the same school, or they could be transferred. So they are assigning temps for the time being and will start rehiring permanent staff for the school at some point.

[Grace62]

I think the school had no choice really. Charges against one of the teachers go back to 1990. At that time accusing students were told by counselors "not to make up stories."

Parents are saying that they suspect there was some cover-up on the part of the school surrounding the investigation of the teachers. Some of the more serious charges are from 2008 but parents are just now finding out about it. And the charges involved dozens of kids over many years. Parents obviously want to know if there own young child was involved. (these are 7 and 8 year olds)
So, the district feels that the only way to restore parent confidence, since many parents are now keeping their kids home, is to start fresh with new staff.
It means of course that many beloved teachers are gone, and we know how younger kids can get attached to their teachers.
Horrible situation - I don't think there are good answers. You certainly hope that the good teachers are brought back.

[mattkime]

Its a reasonable response if there were serious systematic problems including staff dynamics.

maybe there was, maybe there wasn't.

[Dennis S]

How about firing the people who fired all the teachers?