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LAUSD Superintendent Sends Video Message to Staff in the Wake of the Miramonte Scandal
The LAUSD Superintendent sent out a message (posted publicly on the Los Angeles Daily News) to all 84,000 employees in the district as a part of a program to re-educate its staff about how to respond to child abuse in the wake of the Miramonte Elementary School scandals.
Every LAUSD employee is being asked to review the district's packet of reporting forms and information about what to do if they suspect a child is being abused, according to City News Service.
It also seems that Superintendent John Deasy is concerned about looking like he's not throwing teachers under the bus: "The reason that I wanted to address you is because I know that the actions of the arrested teachers at Miramonte, and the other schools, do not reflect on you or your professionalism."
The district itself has admitted that it needs to review its own procedures regarding child abuse. Deasy said that LAUSD broke the law by waiting too long to report Miramonte Elementary teacher Mark Berndt to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, after sheriff's deputies began investigating him for lewd acts on children.
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