Pictures by HMG-CN show him entering ‘Teacher Jail,’ request to move Board Meetings is attempt to finally comply with Teacher Jail rules.
HMG-CN picture of Central Basin Director James Roybal entering the LAUSD’s Educational Service Center East, better known as Teacher Jail. The picture was enlarged and placed on the empty chair at the dais of Director Roybal.
By Brian Hews and Randy Economy
Virtually admitting that he is in LAUSD Teacher Jail, combined with the exclusive story published by HMG-CN that he is under investigation by the Office of Inspector General of the LAUSD for violating teacher jail policy several months ago, Central Basin Director James Roybal has requested the agency move their Board Meetings to 3 p.m. from the long-time traditional 10 a.m. time period.
The move is unprecedented and an attempt by Roybal to circumvent his assignment to Teacher Jail.
Beginning in the mid 90′s, teachers accused of misconduct have been removed from their teaching assignments and held in district offices while administrators and law enforcement agencies investigate allegations.
The process typically drags on for months, with teachers collecting their full pay – an average of $6,000 a month, plus benefits – until they’re returned to work or fired.
Under written rules, teachers in jail are to check in at a designated location every day for 2 hours and then go back to their home. They are not to seek a second job, take a day trip, or enjoy outside entertainment. Failure to follow these rules will lead to disciplinary action.
In Thursday’s Board Meeting, which Roybal missed, the motion was brought up to excuse him from meetings.
Central Basin Director Leticia Vasquez, who has known that Roybal has been enrolled in Teacher Jail for months, made the motion to excuse Roybal.
The motion was quickly shot down by current Central Basin Board President Phil Hawkins, after which Vasquez withdrew her motion.
Seemingly unfazed by Roybal’s Teacher Jail assignment or the admonishment from Hawkins, Vasquez went on to say, “the meetings should be moved because Roybal’s constituents want him there representing them and he can’t with morning meetings.”
Director Art Chacon, who had placed an enlarged photo of the HMG-CN picture of Roybal entering Teacher Jail on Roybal’s empty seat at the dais, snapped back at Vasquez saying, “if he was sick or a family member was ill we would gladly consider excusing him, but not when he’s suspected of possibly molesting children!”
A seemingly perturbed Vasquez then left the dais, during the all-important approval of warrants and expenditures, to “take a phone call.”
Calls into Vasquez asking her why she wanted Roybal excused went unanswered.