Finally, an adult with authority uses his power in an effort to conduct a clean sweep of the criminal corruption roaming the halls of what should be a sanctuary for all children.

John Deasy, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is to be commended for his swift action in suspending the entire staff at Miramonte Elementary School, where two teachers, Mark Berndt and Martin Springer, have been arrested for allegedly committing extremely lewd acts against at least 25 children.

Springer is accused of fondling two young girls in his classroom, while Berndt stands accused of blindfolding a minimum of 23 students, ranging in age from 6-10, and coercing them into playing his sick and demented games by feeding them his semen atop cookies during school hours.

Nothing in this world is worse than crimes against children, so these men, when their guilt is determined, should be castrated, and imprisoned for life, where even the worst criminal offenders despise child molesters, and will mete out the appropriate punishment.

It is extremely hard to believe that someone as brazen as Berndt, who has worked at Miramonte for 32 years, has never been caught or suspected of his despicable acts. It is also doubtful, given the current number of criminal counts against him, that he only engaged in these depraved activities between 2005 and 2010, which is what the Associated Press reported February 7, 2012.

Sexual abuse does not have a one-time affect on victims. Sexual abuse can shape the entire life of the child, especially if the abuse is ongoing, or is perpetrated by a trusted member in that child’s life. And made worse yet if the child knows others are aware of the abuse. Victims of sexual abuse, particularly children, can become submissive, overly aggressive, promiscuous, and drug abusers, or worse, they themselves can become sexual abusers.

Like Jerry Sandusky of Penn State University, these trusted adults lure their prey with prizes as small as cookies to as grand as promises of football careers; or worse, threats of hurting their family members if they “tell”.

In all my years of reading these cases of sex crimes against children, I cannot recall the “person in charge” making the safety and mental well being of the children priority number one. Mr. Deasy did just that on February 16, 2012, when he blew the District’s budget woes to the wind, and hired 128 new staffers to replace those suspended (with pay) until a full investigation of every employee of Miramonte is completed.

Half the battle in healing these children from their horrific experiences is someone listening and taking direct and immediate action. Deasy deserves Educator of the Year for standing up for the Miramonte Elementary School students when no one else did. As Superintendent of LAUSD, the second largest school district in the United States, Deasy is in charge of 695,000 students and close to 46,000 teachers at 730 schools. On this day, every one of these individuals should be proud of their leader. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I will show my gratitude to Mr. Deasy by ensuring the School Board Members I chose in the next election reappoint this courageous man to another term.

To all the potential witnesses out there of sex crimes against children, save a child and that future adult: SPEAK UP!
To all the potential witnesses out there of sex crimes against children, save a child and that future adult: SPEAK UP!