LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Unified School District Friday reached a settlement with 82 victims in the Miramonte Elementary School child sex abuse case.
The more than $139 million settlement resolves the remaining lawsuits in the case. See: Can LA School District Survive Law Suits?
Former teacher Mark Berndt pleaded no contest to 23 counts of lewd acts on a child and is now serving more than 20 years in state prison after pleading 'no contest' to child sex abuse charges.
Berndt, 62, took photos of students while they were bound and gagged in his classroom.
Some photos featured cockroaches being placed on students’ faces, while others depicted them being spoon-fed a milky-white substance that tested positive for Berndt’s DNA. That is sooo sick!
Authorities believe Berndt, who was arrested in January 2012, committed the crimes between 2005 and 2010.
The arrest and prosecution of the former teacher lead to flurry of other civil lawsuits against the LAUSD. The district had previously settled more than 60 claims for approximately $30 million.
Attorneys for the victims allege the LAUSD knew about past incidents of inappropriate behavior involving Berndt that occurred in the 1980s; behaviour like touching and even kissing students on the lips. If that's true, someone ought to be charged as an accessory.
“There is nothing more important to us (it's sadly funny that every time you hear or read that statement, it's always in regard to something that happened that proved otherwise. Just once I would like to hear someone say that they haven't taken the safety of children seriously enough) than the safety of the students we serve.
Our goal from the outset of these appalling revelations has been to spare the Miramonte community the anguish of a protracted trial, while at the same time being mindful of the financial consequences stemming from settlements. Given these circumstances, we believe we struck a balance between those objectives,” LAUSD Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines said in a statement.
An independent process has been established with the court that will allow the judge to review each of the claims and assign the appropriate individual amount.
The school district also faces 189 claims over alleged abuse at the campus in Florence-Firestone. The abuse involves 126 students and includes long time teacher, Mark Berndt, being accused of blindfolding students and feeding them semen-laced cookies, among other alleged crimes.
The more than $139 million settlement resolves the remaining lawsuits in the case. See: Can LA School District Survive Law Suits?
Former teacher Mark Berndt pleaded no contest to 23 counts of lewd acts on a child and is now serving more than 20 years in state prison after pleading 'no contest' to child sex abuse charges.
Berndt, 62, took photos of students while they were bound and gagged in his classroom.
Some photos featured cockroaches being placed on students’ faces, while others depicted them being spoon-fed a milky-white substance that tested positive for Berndt’s DNA. That is sooo sick!Authorities believe Berndt, who was arrested in January 2012, committed the crimes between 2005 and 2010.
The arrest and prosecution of the former teacher lead to flurry of other civil lawsuits against the LAUSD. The district had previously settled more than 60 claims for approximately $30 million.
Attorneys for the victims allege the LAUSD knew about past incidents of inappropriate behavior involving Berndt that occurred in the 1980s; behaviour like touching and even kissing students on the lips. If that's true, someone ought to be charged as an accessory.
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| LAUSD Headquarters |
Our goal from the outset of these appalling revelations has been to spare the Miramonte community the anguish of a protracted trial, while at the same time being mindful of the financial consequences stemming from settlements. Given these circumstances, we believe we struck a balance between those objectives,” LAUSD Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines said in a statement.
An independent process has been established with the court that will allow the judge to review each of the claims and assign the appropriate individual amount.
The school district also faces 189 claims over alleged abuse at the campus in Florence-Firestone. The abuse involves 126 students and includes long time teacher, Mark Berndt, being accused of blindfolding students and feeding them semen-laced cookies, among other alleged crimes.
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