“Freeway Therapy”

A Los Angeles Unified School District police officer has filed a claim with the district contending he was retaliated against for reporting allegations that a substitute teacher sexually abused a student.

Luis E. Barraza said his actions embarrassed two South East High School administrators who failed to report the misconduct although required by law to inform authorities.
According to Barraza, he was reassigned to patrol at another part of the school district on the same day that L.A. Unified Supt. David Brewer allowed the two administrators to return to the South Gate campus, despite their pending criminal cases. Prosecutors criticized Brewer’s action.

Barraza’s attorney, Michael McGill, alleged in the claim that his client was given “freeway therapy.” The claim is a precursor to a possible civil lawsuit.

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Sen. Jack Scott=CMMU College Chancellor

State Sen. Jack Scott, an education reformer who served as president of two colleges, was named Thursday to be statewide chancellor of the California community college system.

The Altadena Democrat, 74, will be forced by term limits to leave the Senate when his term expires in December and will take over the chancellor’s job Jan. 1.

His oversight of the 109 colleges will come at a time of state budget cuts and pressure to improve the relatively low rates at which students finish their two-year degrees or vocational training.

Scott, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said he looks forward to the challenges, particularly in improving the colleges’ finances.

“The chancellor is the spokesperson for community colleges in California and the advocate for them before the Legislature,” he said in an interview Thursday. “That is a very important role. Funding is crucial.”

Scott said he wants to boost tutoring and counseling so more students can transfer from community colleges to four-year schools and complete their credentials in such fields as nursing and automotive repair.