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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Popular LA Teacher Forced to Take Leave

Parents and students at Hobart Elementary school in Koreatown are angry that a renowned teacher there has been removed from his classroom. Rafe Esquith has won teaching awards, been profiled in national news stories and written books about education. Now, he’s on forced leave while the district investigates a complaint against him.

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By Madeleine Brand • Jun 19, 2015 • 1 min read

Parents and students at Hobart Elementary school in Koreatown are angry that a renowned teacher there has been removed from his classroom. Rafe Esquith has won teaching awards, been profiled in national news stories and written books about education. Now, he’s on forced leave while the district investigates a complaint against him. Esquith’s lawyers say it was filed by another teacher after Esquith read his fifth-grade students a passage from “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” describing a naked man. What do we know about the situation and will Esquith be reinstated?

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Madeleine Brand

    Host, 'Press Play'

  • KCRW placeholder

    Jolie Myers

    Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Matt Holzman

    Producer, 'The Document'

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    Anna Scott

    Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

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    Ben Meiselas

    attorney at Geragos & Geragos. He represents Rafe Esquith.

    News
Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand