Long Beach Teacher Placed On Leave For Second Time Following Allegations Of Abuse, Racism
LONG BEACH (CBSLA) – A longtime teacher at Long Beach Polytechnic High School was placed on leave last week -- for the second time in a month -- following allegations that she used racial slurs against students and was physically abusive.
Libby Huff was first placed on paid leave on Jan. 13, the Long Beach Unified School District confirmed to CBS2 Tuesday.
Following an internal investigation, she was allowed to return to class on Feb. 12. However, just two days later, on Feb. 14, she was then placed on paid leave for a second time.
The second stint came after 31 Poly High students posted a blog to the site Medium on Feb. 13 titled "Enough of Huff: Students of Long Beach Poly High School Speak Out."
In the piece, students accuse Huff of using a racial slur against a black student in class.
Several students in the piece also claim she was physically abusive, striking them or throwing objects at them. One student wrote that she grabbed him by the back of the neck and "shook my neck with force and it was pretty painful and shocking."
Another accused her of duct-taping a student to a desk.
In an email Tuesday, a Long Beach police spokesman told CBS2 that the department was notified Monday by the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services of the "allegations of criminal conduct" against Huff. Police officers responded to the school and took statements from four students. Child abuse detectives are continuing the investigation are asking any more alleged victims to come forward by calling them at 562-570-7321.
As of Wednesday, no criminal charges have been filed. Huff has taught at the school for 11 years, according to the Long Beach Post newspaper.
"On Friday, Feb. 14 the school district placed her on paid administrative leave again pending our investigation into newly received complaints," the school district wrote in a statement. "The school district is not at liberty to provide details of such investigations, but we consider the safety and well-being of our students to be our top priority."
