Child Abuse in an Elementary School

Miramonte Elementary in South Los Angeles will be closed tomorrow and Wednesday, but it was open today. Teacher Mark Berndt, who's in jail awaiting arraignment on 23 charges of child abuse has already been fired. He was arrested for foundling children 10 years ago, but not charges were filed due to lack of evidence. However, pictures reportedly confiscated from his home are said to show multiple cases of child abuse. Superintendent John Deasy is expected to fire Berndt's colleague tomorrow. Martin Springer's accused of fondling two seven-year-old girls. Deasy is meeting with parents this evening in the wake of revelations that Mark Berndt tied up second graders and fed them his sperm. Lisette Rivas-Hermina is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice, specializing in trauma treatment for children and families (We also heard from Nancy Linares, the mother of a child who went to Miramonte and whose grandchild goes there now, and from local resident Raymond Canal.)

Note: Between our mid-afternoon taping and 7pm airing, LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy announced several measures to "stabilize the learning environment and offer immediate and on-­going support."