LA School Reopens With New Staff

(NewsCore) - The Los Angeles elementary school rocked by allegations that two of its teachers sexually abused students reopened Thursday with a completely new staff.

Miramonte Elementary School was ordered closed Tuesday and Wednesday by Los Angeles Unified Schools District superintendent John Deasy while the entire workforce -- including teachers, administrators, clerical and custodial staff -- were replaced.

Deasy said the move would show that officials were dealing with the issue forcefully. He also said the re-assignments would reveal whether there was a "culture of silence" at the school when it came to allegations of molestation.

The staff transfers were met Thursday with anger from some parents and the union representing teachers at Miramonte.

The United Teachers Los Angeles denounced the staff transfers as a "cheap media stunt," the Los Angeles Times reported. The 85 teachers removed from their classrooms were expected to file grievances against the school district, said UTLA President Warren Fletcher.

"It is crystal clear that LAUSD doesn't have a plan," said Fletcher. "They're making this up as they go along, and students at the school are paying the price."

About 100 teachers and parents gathered outside the school Thursday, some clutching signs reading "Don't condemn all for the acts of a few" and "Our teachers are innocent," according to the Times.

The union also said it believes that teachers not involved in the scandal would never be sent back to Miramonte, a school that serves a large immigrant community, KTTV reported.

The displaced teachers, administrators, clerical and custodial staff will remain on the payroll and be assigned to a school now under construction, the school district said. The cost of paying the previous workforce until it can return to work or move to another school has also been slammed, according to KTTV.

The replaced staff's positions were filled by teachers and other workers who were on a district re-hiring list.

Meanwhile, authorities investigating the molestation cases said Wednesday that approximately 200 additional bondage-type pictures of children, allegedly taken by former Miramonte third-grade teacher Mark Berndt, were discovered on a computer at a CVS pharmacy in nearby Redondo Beach, KTLA reported.

Police spokesman Dan Scott said investigators were yet to identify about 25 victims featured in the photos.

Berndt, 61, was arrested Jan. 30 and faces 23 counts of lewd conduct, including taking photographs as he allegedly blindfolded young children in his classroom and spoon-fed them his semen.

The alleged offenses took place between 2008 and 2010 and involved students aged from six to 10 years old, police said. Berndt had taught at the school for 30 years.

Berndt is being held in lieu of $23 million and is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 21 at the Metropolitan Branch Courthouse in Los Angeles.

Berndt's colleague Martin Springer, 49, was arrested Feb. 3 and faces three felony counts of committing lewd acts upon a child -- for allegedly fondling a female student -- which carries a maximum of 12 years in prison.