LOS ANGELES —The scandal embroiling an elementary school where two teachers were arrested last week on lewdness charges widened Wednesday with revelations of 200 more inappropriate photos of children and that one teacher sent warmly written birthday cards and presents to students who participated in his “games.”
The case has
roiled the nation’s second-largest school district, which has a sizable number of students who come from homes with illegal immigrants. Many parents at the school have said they have been reluctant to report suspicions about the teachers because of their immigration status.
The new developments came as Los Angeles Unified School District prepared to reopen Miramonte Elementary School today with an entirely new staff.
According to three lawsuits filed against the district Tuesday, teacher Mark Berndt sent birthday cards to some of the girls, asking how they were adjusting to the fourth grade. He also wrote warm notes such as “Surely no teacher could ever have a more wonderful student than you!!” and “P.P.S. The Roaches Say ‘Hi!’ “
He signed the notes, “Mr. B.”
The cards were provided as exhibits in the lawsuits, which were filed on behalf of three former students of Berndt. They allege that the district and principal Martin Sandoval failed to adequately safeguard them against Berndt and a second teacher arrested, Martin Springer, who faces three lewdness charges in connection with the fondling of a second-grader.
Detectives said there is no evidence that the two men acted in concert.
Sheriff’s investigators, meanwhile, said Wednesday they have found 200 additional photos they believe were taken by Berndt, who is accused of committing lewd acts on 23 children from 2005 to 2010. The photos were found late last week at the same pharmacy where a photo lab technician had first noticed odd pictures that led to Berndt’s arrest, sheriff’s Lt. Carlos Marquez said. The recent discovery brings the total number of photos to roughly 600.
Many of the photos involve children already identified by authorities, but there may be other potential victims, Marquez said.
Berndt, 61, taught for 32 years at the south Los Angeles school.
More allegations of inappropriate conduct by other school employees also surfaced. The mother of an 11-year-old boy told the Los Angeles Times that a teacher’s aide, a woman in her 50s, sent at least three letters to her son in 2009, including one that said: “When you get close to me, even if you give me the chills, I like that. Don’t tell nobody about this!”
The mother said she went to the sheriff’s department, which directed her to the school. During a meeting that included the mother, her son, his teacher and an assistant principal, the teacher’s aide acknowledged writing letters and said she had a grandmotherly affection for the boy.
The aide no longer works for the school system, a district spokeswoman said.
