With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
LAUSD molestations: Parents react to charges against teacher at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary
Listen
Oscar Esquivel waits for a meeting outside George De La Torre Jr. Elementary, where his daughter is in kindergarten
()
Rosa Zarate's daughter is a fifth grader at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School.
()
Parents reacted with shock and concern Thursday morning at a meeting at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School in Wilmington a day after a former veteran teacher was charged with sexually abusing 20 children and one adult.
Arriving in the driving rain Thursday morning, parent Oscar Esquivel called the situation “a tragedy” after he dropped off his daughter, who’s in kindergarten at the school.
“When you take the kids to school, we think they’re in a safe place. Right? And that’s not true,” Esquivel said. “So whose fault is this? The school? The parents? Or the system? And what else can we do?”
Pimentel pleaded not guilt to charges of sexually abusing 20 children and one adult. He retired last March after allegations surfaced. L.A. Unified School District officials removed the school's principal in March, after they learned about the allegations.
Support for LAist comes from
RELATED: New details about Los Angeles Unified teacher accused of sexually abusing 20 students
The L.A. Unified School District invited Esquivel and other parents to a meeting at the school Thursdayto talk about events surrounding the alleged abuse.
Rosa Zarate, mother of a fifth grader at De La Torre, said she was very surprised when she learned about the allegations. She said that Pimentel never taught her daughter’s class — but that he did help her out sometimes with reading and math. Zarate said it’s been tough discussing the situation with her daughter.
“I asked her not to get too friendly with the teachers at all, … especially the males,” Zarate said. That’s a big change from when she was a young student. Zarate said that when she was younger, she'd been close with a lot of her teachers. “But right now, it’s kind of weird.”
Later in the morning, Attorney Luis Carillo arrived to speak to reporters. Carillo represents students who are alleged victims of sexual abuse at Miramonte Elementary School. He said the Pimentel case at De La Torre Elementary is another indication that the school district isn’t doing enough to protect students.
“The reason that certain perverts continue to do these things is because they know that the school district is asleep,” Carillo said. He wants L.A. Unified to establish an independent monitor for student safety, and a hotline to field reports of sexual abuse.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
Best of LAist