Education chief vows action against schools shielding abusive teachers

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the department is cracking down on schools that reassign teachers accused of sexual harassment instead of terminating them. She cited investigations into districts like Los Angeles Unified and a national effort to enforce federal laws. The department can revoke federal funding from noncompliant schools.

EXPANDED:

The Education Department's probe into Los Angeles Unified stems from an alleged arrangement with the local teachers union that reassigns educators facing credible accusations of sexual misconduct—including romantic relationships with students and child pornography creation—rather than dismissing them. McMahon's July letter to educational institutions warned that federal assistance could be terminated for schools failing to comply with federal sexual misconduct laws.

The crackdown follows a May investigation by ProPublica and KQED finding that California did not revoke the professional licenses of 67 teachers determined to have committed sexual misconduct between 2019 and 2025. At least 14 of those educators were subsequently hired by other schools, with at least 12 still working in education