Law Enforcement Opens Investigation of Teacher Accused of Abusing Disabled Children

May 14, 2010 - PRLog -- Torrance, CA -  Various law enforcement offices are investigating teacher Beverly Golding of the Torrance Unified School District because of recent sworn statements revealed in a Federal law suit accusing her of criminal acts against disabled children in her care.

During the 2006-2007 academic year, Torrance Unified School District special education teacher Beverly Golding was accused of abusing several severely disabled children in her classroom by inflicting corporal punishment, unlawful restraints, unlawful isolation and humiliation to children who, for the most part, were non-verbal, non-aggressive and unable to communicate. Testimony states that  Golding openly maintained a 3x3 barricaded time out area in the back of her classroom where she regularly banished children when they angered her or got on her "nerves". The time out area was in a secluded location of the classroom  where the children were not visible. Several teacher's assistants described Golding as evidencing severe mood irregularity and rage. The same teacher's assistants have testified that the special needs children were most often the target of Golding's violent outbursts. The time out area was created between a bookcase and a storage cabinet and barricaded by a gate. The children placed there were approximately 8-9 years of age and for the most part, too large to remain in the area for any length of time. Despite this, Golding was accused of often forgetting them in the time out area which was laden with sharp nails protruding from the wooden bookcase. Several of the children were injured in the time out area as they sustained cuts and abrasions. Golding is also accused of forcibly dragging her special needs students by their clothing as she violently held them down  in order to gain their submission. Golding is also accused of inflicting tormenting pain upon a child who has naturally curly hair while she repeatedly and  violently dragged a hairbrush through the child's hair, causing abrasions to her sensitive scalp and  pulling her hair as the child flinched and cried out in severe pain. Golding is also accused of holding children by their necks as they cried and gagged. She is also accused of forcing them to maintain submissive positions which had the potential of impacting their airway. Golding is also accused of jabbing a child's face with a wooden paint brush covered in green paint and spraying Lysol on a child due to the pungent smell of his lunch. Golding is accused of frequently pushing the physically handicapped children out of their desks and into other furniture if they were not moving quickly enough. Golding is also accused of inflicting other punishments such as causing the children to sit atop hot asphalt while currently denying them hydration and bathroom privileges.

During her probationary period, a well-meaning teacher's assistant reported the abuse to the school's principal, superintendent and school board. After blowing the whistle, she was immediately terminated. Once parents learned of the abuse, several other teacher's assistants came forward and assisted the parents in ascertaining the truth about the heinous acts endured and observed by their children. Once the parents were notified, Golding, in striking similarity to the clergy cases, was moved to another school where she is accused of abusing even younger children. After further investigation and persistence by counsel, parents and witnesses, Golding was recently and finally placed on administrative leave while the authorities gather additional evidence sufficient to sustain a criminal conviction.

"As long as school districts defend the line and remain willfully ignorant about ongoing abuse, teachers like Beverly Golding will continue to abuse innocent children. While Golding's conduct is egregious, the conduct of those administers who knew about the abuse and did nothing goes to the heart of this matter. I've handled several abuse cases of this nature, each one bears a striking similarity to the others. The common theme is deliberate indifference by those with the power to eradicate the abuse. We must acknowledge the teacher's assistants who came forward despite concern for their jobs and retaliation by the school district", says Plaintiff's attorney Andrea Tytell.

The following information was taken from legal documents and the original and amended Federal Complaint as required by law.

The Federal Case of:
N.P., a Minor, et al.
vs.
Torrance Unified School District, Beverly Golding individually et al.
CASE #  CV08-6003 PA (PJWx)
United States District Court
Central District Court California