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Right of reply: Teachers deserve presumption of innocence

Recent headlines highlight the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights’ new investigation of the Los Angeles Unified School District. 

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is leading the charge, asserting that when teachers are accused of misconduct, LAUSD merely reassigns them to another school. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey says LAUSD puts “the continued employment of sexual predators above the safety of students.” 

McMahon is also attacking United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), accusing the union of working to “protect the employment of sexual predators … allowing alleged criminals to be reassigned to a different school.” 

One might think that before launching this attack McMahon — a cabinet secretary and the leading education figure in the US — would look into what is meant by “reassigns.”

Yes, accused teachers are reassigned — to home. 

And at home they wait — and wait and wait and wait – for their cases to be investigated and adjudicated. They are not allowed any contact with their school or any students. 

Until recently, teachers on administrative leave were held in “teacher jail” — forced to report and sit all day in a windowless room in LAUSD’s downtown headquarters. They often went months without even being informed of the charges against them.

Some didn’t even know in which year they allegedly committed the offense(s), and were often surprised to find that the allegations were from several years ago.

UTLA has forced some changes. For example, accused educators now get to serve their time at home as long as........

© New York Post