District eyed after alleged attack

A number of civil rights groups have demanded a formal investigation into the Huntington Beach City School District after one of its teachers allegedly hit a special-needs student with a clipboard for asking a “stupid question.”

The Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable and a number of other groups have requested that the U.S. Department of Education undertake a formal investigation of the district’s policies and practices after it allegedly failed to discipline or fire the teacher, according to a release from the Roundtable.

The National Action Network, Los Angeles Civil Rights Assn., Black Ministerial Alliance, Youth Advocacy Coalition and the Voice of the People are also calling for the investigation, according to the release.

District Supt. Kathy Kessler said she doesn’t believe the groups have all the information.

“I believe it’s unfounded, and I believe there is a lack of information,” Kessler said.

The investigation comes after an African American Huntington Beach family accused a district teacher of hitting their 14-year-old son with a clipboard after he asked a “stupid question” and the Roundtable received a number of complaints about mistreatment and harassment of other students, said Earl Hutchinson, the president of the Roundtable, in an e-mail.

“The Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable has received complaints from several teachers in the district about mistreatment of students,” Hutchinson said. “They fear retaliation and cannot be identified.”

James and Sandra Barr filed the claim with the district on behalf of their son Devonte Barr Feb. 23. The family is seeking an unknown amount of more than $25,000 in damages for assault and battery, violating his rights and attorney’s fees. A claim is the precursor to a lawsuit.

Kessler said she couldn’t comment on the claim, but it is being investigated by the district’s legal counsel.

Devonte was in his second-period algebra class at Isaac Sowers Middle School on Nov. 18 during a lockdown drill, where students practice what they should do it an intruder enters the campus, when he asked the teacher what would happen if someone came through the window, according to the claim.

Algebra and geometry teacher Marta Rosener allegedly said it was a stupid question and hit him across the forehead with a clipboard in front of the class.

“Now can we get back to class?” Rosener is accused of saying, according to the claim.

The incident has caused Devonte to be harassed and teased by his peers and with psychological and emotional harm, according to the claim. The incident and the district’s “inaction” were a violation of Devonte’s civil rights, Hutchinson said.

The district hasn’t been contacted by the U.S. Department of Education, Kessler said.