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Miramonte Elementary School

February 8, 2012 by · Comments Off on Miramonte Elementary School 

Miramonte Elementary School, School officials on Tuesday offered parents the opportunity to transfer their children out of Miramonte Elementary School, where the entire faculty and staff are being replaced to give the school a fresh start after allegations of sexual abuse and lewd conduct by two teachers.

Protesters march near Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles on Monday. Parents were allowed to transfer their children out of the school after allegations of sex abuse.

Miramonte was closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Teachers were finalizing grades and recordkeeping and boxing up belongings after the announcement Monday night that all were being removed.

The decision to replace the entire faculty and staff of a public school because of criminal allegations appeared to be unprecedented, not just in the city but nationally.

“I salute the district for taking immediate steps to stabilize the school and restore the learning environment,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said.

Los Angeles Unified School district spokesman Tom Waldman said the system is trying to hire 128 teachers and other staff from a list of those dismissed in budget cuts in recent years. The goal was to have them ready for classes Thursday.

Parents who want to move their children to another school will get expedited consideration, he said.

One of the two teachers faced court arraignment Tuesday. Martin Springer, 49, was charged with three counts of lewd acts upon a child over a three-month period in 2009. Springer has been in jail since he was arrested Friday. Prosecutors were asking for his bail to be set at $300,000. If convicted, Springer could face a maximum state prison term of 12 years. The school board voted to fire him Tuesday.

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