The terrifying, disturbing scandal concerning Miramonte Elementary School has left the entire nation in a state of absolute shock and horror. The scandal, which has spanned these past two weeks, involves the arrest of two teachers at the elementary school for allegedly committing various lewd acts on their students. The incident has put schools nationwide, especially those belonging in the Los Angeles Unified School District, in a state of alarm and panic. Administrators throughout various schools, elementary schools and high schools alike, have been reacting to the scandal, as they face the cruel wake up call and realization that the issue of sexual abuse might be closer to them than they thought.
An example of this alarm was shown when the faculty of North Hollywood High School gathered at an emergency meeting after school this past Tuesday, February 7th, to discuss the seriousness of the issue, and how the school should react to it. Greater caution for the faculty was advised, and several recommendations were given, such as keeping the classroom windows clear and uncovered. Although North Hollywood is a high school, as opposed to Miramonte being an elementary school, the issue is no less serious.
Another example of the new caution that the teachers have is shown through North Hollywood High’s Moot Court Team. The team, which has been training since the beginning of the year to prepare for the Duke Moot Court Competition that will be held at the end of February at Duke University, North Carolina, had planned to travel to the university under the supervision of the male head coach, Mr. Paul Landau, and two male chaperones, the fathers of two students. However, after the faculty meeting, Mr. Landau decided that it would be in the best interest of the students and himself to have an additional female chaperone accompany the team. He offered the students a firm ultimatum: “Either we cancel the trip, or we all pitch in to pay for a mom to come along.” He explained that it would look better if a female chaperone was there, and alleviate any concerns the school might have with three male chaperones. Although he did not expect there to be any problems without a female chaperone, he knew that it was better to err on the side of caution rather than aggravate the sensitivity of the school and parents alike.
“It’s a serious issue, but so many students don’t realize that it could happen to anyone, including themselves,” commented Roxanne Heston, an 11th grader from North Hollywood High School. In reality, numerous students take the issue seriously, but not serious enough to be careful themselves, and be aware of their surroundings. “I never let my daughter walk around at night just in case something happens. I tell her to always be careful, even when she is at school,” said Young Kim, a mother of an 8th grade student. As unfortunate incidents like the one of Miramonte continue to occur, panic and worries grow. Because the issue of sexual assault may be more widespread than people thought, schools nationwide need to take more caution and implement safer systems at school in order to prevent further dangerous situations from taking place.
