7.18.2009

teacher terminated after seven years of limbo

Just read this strange story about Matthew Kim, a special education teacher who has been floating around in school district bureaucracy hell for the last seven years: Teacher loses fight to keep job.

This week a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge gave school district officials the go-ahead to finally fire Kim, who hasn't worked since they decided he didn't belong in a classroom because of alleged sexual harassment.

Kim was accused of touching co-workers' breasts and making improper advances toward students. However, Kim has argued that any touching was involuntary; he was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, and claims he didn't touch anyone intentionally.

Whatever the case, Matthew Kim's situation is an example of LAUSD's inability to act swfitly against teachers accused of egregious or immoral acts. Known as a "housed" employee, he and about 160 others reported every day to administrative offices, where they were assigned no work. It's pretty ridiculous.

After years of legal wrangling, the district finally came to the decision to fire Kim. Sure, the accusations against him were creepy, and his condition leaves room to argue on his behalf... but "housing" him for seven years? Did it really have to take that long? Seems like a big waste of everyone's time and money.

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