More training is on the way for Miami-Dade County Public School teachers when it comes to preventing sexual abuse following the recent arrest of multiple teachers accused of inappropriate relationships with students.
A memo by Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho that recently went to school board members addressed what the allegations are that have been made against teachers, and says what the district has already done and plans to do to stop any inappropriate conduct.
TEACHER TROUBLES
One of those Miami-Dade teachers arrested last week was Heiry Calvi, who was charged with lewd and lascivious battery, child neglect, and bringing a gun on school grounds. Police say she had been a teacher at John Smith K-8 Center in Doral and had an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old former student.
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Brittiny Lopez-Murray, who was the drama teacher at Hialeah Middle School, was also arrested last week, after police said she was engaging in sex acts with a child.
Both women are presumed innocent and will have their day in court. The board said it's moving already to fire Lopez-Murray.
"This school year we have been challenged with a number of allegations of a sexual nature, some resulting in arrest. Violations of this type are beyond reprehensible and will not be tolerated," Carvalho wrote in his memo. "No child should fall victim to a predator while they are within the schoolhouse."
The memo added that during this school year teachers will be given more training in this area, and how to spot it.
When it comes to Calvi, the school board said it followed the rules it installed back in February of 2019 after a teacher was accused of having sex with students.
The school system said that when Doral Police alerted them they were investigating Calvi in March of 2021, she was immediately removed from the classroom and had no contact with students. She didn’t teach this summer and when school opened this year she was assigned to the transportation department until her arrest.
