Arcadia Unified School District releases records of two teacher misconduct investigations that resulted in dismissals. The first was 48-year-old Robert Harbicht, a substitute teacher who was found drunk at work. The second was Phillip Sutliff, dismissed from the district in 2007 and sentenced to 12 years in state prison for sexual misconduct (rape) with a girl at Arcadia High School.
The failure of local school districts to release teacher misconduct records has parents and residents expressing concerns about child safety and government transparency. In the wake of recent sexual misconduct scandals in Los Angeles Unified School District, Pasadena Star News requested teacher misconduct records from 28 school districts in San Gabriel Valley. Of those, only Arcadia Unified School District complied fully with the request. The other 27 school districts either refused to turn over documents, asked for clarification or requested more time to look through their records.
Secrecy by school districts blasted. Board of Education members Mike Spencer of West Covina Unified and Ramon Miramontes of Pasadena Unified each called for more transparency from their staffs on the issue of teacher misconduct. Pasadena Star News sent Public Records Act requests to 28 school districts in San Gabriel Valley requesting information on teacher misconduct. While two districts--Arcadia Unified School District and Bonita Unified--have now released information, 26 others have cited employee privacy concerns as a reason to keep their records private.