L.A. school sex abuse claims: Deasy sends letter to all employees

 

After announcing that the entire staff of an L.A. school rocked by sex-abuse allegations would be temporarily reassigned, Supt. John Deasy sent a letter to all district employees outlining his plans for the troubled campus.

The unprecedented decision to close Miramonte Elementary School for two days and reassign the staff came amid allegations of lewd acts on children by two teachers at the campus in unincorporated Florence-Firestone.

"Some might see this as an extreme measure, but this is an extreme circumstance," Deasy said in the letter sent Monday evening. "I need to take action within the scope of what I can control. This is it.

PHOTOS: Sex abuse charges spark parent uproar

"This is going to be a lesson for all of us," he continued in the letter. "Our children are our number one priority. We must ensure their safety."

Deasy wrote that each class at Miramonte would be overseen by a two-person team consisting of an instructor and a counselor, and that current and former students and their families would receive access to counseling.

FULL COVERAGE: Miramonte sex-abuse investigation

Deasy said the district would conduct a rigorous investigation into the school in which "every" former student and staff member would be interviewed. The district also will launch an independent commission led by former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos Moreno.

He reminded employees of increased training efforts in recent years in the L.A. Unified School District to make employees "vigilant and aggressive" in regard to child abuse. He noted employees who "fail to view the comprehensive child abuse training video are subject to termination."

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-- Rick Rojas