2 Parents Ask Board to Dismiss Ethnic Slur Teacher (Video)

In a stark contrast to last month's school board meeting, where a roomful of parents fumed over what they called a "broken process,'' only four people on Tuesday addressed the board prior to its deliberation about the future of Gabrielle Leko, the math teacher accused of making fun of special education students and using ethnic slurs.

Board president Susan Boyd said at the start of the regular, 7 p.m. meeting, that members have nothing to report out of closed sesson and will reconvene later in the evening.

At the 5 p.m. hearing, board members listened as two parents asked for the outright dismissal of Leko, La Cañada High School math chair, to whom the district has mandated sensitivity training after she called a student "Jew boy,'' and mocked another student's stammer.

"She brings shame upon our schools and our community,'' said parent Debra Archuleta, whose daughter addressed the board last month calling what she witnessed in Leko's 2010 geometry class "verbal atrocities.''

Archuleta followed Cindy Wilcox to the microphone. Wilcox filed a complaint against Leko last June, but made her allegations public in October. In November, the district's investigation found that in addition to violating a student's Individualized Education Program, the veteran teacher used inappropriate comments of ethnic and gender bias in "exchanges of banter in an attempt to develop a rapport'' with the kids.

The board could vote on further discipline for Leko, or possibly a dismissal. If a formal vote happens, that will be reported during the 7 p.m. regular meeting.

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