The law, meant to hasten the removal of LAUSD teachers under investigation, was proposed in the wake of the Miramonte Elementary School abuse scandal
By Kim Baldonado and Bill French, | NBC Los Angeles http://bit.ly/QpJEej
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Kim Baldonado and Rodney Danson
VIDEO: A bill that would have simplified and expedited the process for removing teachers accused of lewd or violent acts involving children from the classroom died in committee in Sacramento. LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy says the vote was "shameful." Kim Baldonado reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2012.
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2012 | Updated 11:45 PM PDT :: Legislation that would have expedited the disciplinary review process for teachers accused of sexual abuse failed to clear the Assembly Education Committee Wednesday.
Senate Bill 1530, sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla, would have made streamlined the process for firing teachers accused of crimes involving sexual abuse, violence and drug offenses.
The bill was written out of response to the Miramonte Elementary scandal in which two teachers were charged with sexually abusing students.
Ongoing Coverage: Miramonte School Investigation
It would have allowed evidence more than four years old to be considered in dismissal hearings, which supporters contend may have brought the Miramonte case to light sooner.
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The bill also would have sped up the firing process for teachers accused of sex crimes, drug offenses and child abuse by having those cases heard by an administrative law judge. The final decision would have been determined by the school district.
But the legislation was strongly opposed by teachers unions, which insisted that steps were already in place which should have prevented the Miramonte situation and others like it.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy said he was disappointed by the bill's demise.
"I think it's shameful," said Deasy. "I think the vote and what eventually has happened has been shameful for students and for employees in the State of California.
"We basically have said that students who are brutally molested by employees, we cannot actually expedite their firing. I am disheartened, but undeterred. But I am incredibly disheartened."
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