School Employee Removed Pending Investigation Over Misconduct
GRANADA HILLS (CBS) — An employee was removed from John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills pending an investigation into alleged misconduct, school officials announced Friday.
Students at the Gothic Avenue campus were sent home with a letter announcing the removal of the employee, said Daryl Strickland of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
"This is a district administrative investigation," Strickland said, noting that the matter was not being investigated by police. "The employee will no return to campus until the investigation is complete and the allegations are determined to be unfounded."
The letter did not go into detail or explain the nature of the alleged misconduct.
Strickland said he could not discuss details of the allegations or reveal the employee's job title or name, emphasizing the presumption of innocence.
"The district takes all cases of misconduct very seriously," Strickland said.
The letter, which was signed by school principal Suzanne Blake, indicated crisis intervention counselors would be provided to work with students who might be impacted by the employee's removal.
"I would like to reassure parents and guardians that the school and district will take every precaution to ensure the safety of students and staff at our schools," Blake wrote.
(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)