By Mary O’KEEFE

Allegations of sexual misconduct of Glendale Unified School District students involving a former agency-contracted special education assistant have once again rocked the District.

The District faced similar allegations regarding misconduct of employees between 2012 and 2015.

“In 2017, a civil lawsuit was filed alleging that two employees in GUSD’s Early Bird Program engaged in physical and/or sexual abuse against a non-verbal student with special needs between 2012 [and] 2015. In March 2025, a trial court decided that the District negligently supervised and retained the employees named in the lawsuit, and the court found that one employee sexually assaulted the student and awarded $4.1 million in damages to the family. The civil judgment was entered in April 2025 and, after further legal proceedings, the parties settled the litigation in the fall of 2025,” according to GUSD.

Almost a year after the decision, GUSD obtained the law firm Epstein, Becker & Green (EBG) to conduct an external investigation for both the 2025 civil judgment and the most recent accusations.

Question: What will you do, if elected, to protect the most vulnerable students, as well as all of the GUSD students, from predators? Answers are in alphabetical order by first name.

Aileen Din, candidate, GUSD Area D: As a mother of three GUSD students, a public health educator with a doctorate in education, this issue is deeply personal to me. As someone who has spent my career advocating for vulnerable populations, including children, families and individuals with special needs, I believe student safety must always come before politics, public relations or institutional comfort.

First, I want to acknowledge how painful and disturbing these allegations are for families, staff and the broader community. My heart especially goes out to students with disabilities and vulnerable students who may not always have the ability to advocate for themselves or communicate when something is wrong.

I have already demonstrated the kind of leadership I would bring to the board by engaging thoughtfully and proactively during this difficult time. In communication to district leadership, I thanked the district for its transparency and updates while also raising awareness about SB 848, the “Pupil Safety: School Employee Misconduct and Child Abuse Prevention Act,” which now requires districts to strengthen and update comprehensive school safety plans by July 1, 2026.

I specifically urged the district to review policies related to maintaining appropriate adult-student interactions and to ensure families clearly understand procedures regarding supervision, reporting and protections against child abuse and sexual misconduct. I believe transparency, education and prevention are essential to rebuilding trust.

If elected, I would push for:

• Stronger oversight and supervision protocols for employees and contracted staff
• Full compliance and public accountability regarding SB 848 implementation
• Mandatory and ongoing abuse prevention and reporting training
• Clear, accessible reporting pathways for students, parents and staff
• Additional safeguards for special education and non-verbal students
• Independent review and accountability measures when failures occur
• Open communication with families so concerns are not minimized or ignored

I also believe we must create a culture where students feel safe speaking up, staff feel empowered to report concerns immediately and families know their voices matter.

Throughout my advocacy, whether at school board meetings or in my professional work in public health and community engagement, I have consistently shown up to ask the hard questions, speak up respectfully (https://tinyurl.com/dinkjianSB848) and focus on solutions. Protecting children requires more than statements after a crisis, and I bring leadership that is proactive, compassionate, transparent and willing to act before harm occurs.

Every child must be protected at school and should always be our highest responsibility. 

www.dinkjian.com 

Debbie Blute, candidate, GUSD Area C: As a parent, longtime Glendale resident and committed community member, I believe there is no greater responsibility than protecting the safety and well-being of our children. Student safety must always come first – before politics, special interests or bureaucracy.

Recent concerns raised regarding individuals interacting with students on school campuses without proper transparency, oversight or vetting are deeply troubling to many families throughout our community. What is even more concerning is that many of these incidents – and the district’s response to them – have occurred under the current leadership overseeing our schools.

Parents deserve answers. More importantly, parents deserve confidence that every possible measure is being taken to protect their children while they are at school.

Every adult who comes into contact with students in our district should be properly vetted, screened, supervised and held to the highest standards of accountability. Families should never be left questioning who has access to campuses, what organizations are being allowed to interact with students or whether student safety is truly the district’s top priority.

Transparency matters. Accountability matters. Trust matters.

As someone running for the GUSD Board Area C seat, I believe our district leadership must rebuild trust with families by putting students first in every decision that is made. Our schools should be places where children feel safe, parents feel informed and educators feel supported.

If elected, I will advocate for:

• Stronger vetting and background check procedures for anyone interacting with students
• Clearer district policies regarding campus access and outside organizations
• Greater transparency and proactive communication with parents
• Increased accountability from district leadership when concerns are raised
• A culture that prioritizes student protection, respect, and parental involvement

This issue shouldn’t divide our community because student safety is not political. It is a basic responsibility and a shared expectation among parents, teachers and community members.

Our children deserve schools where safety is never compromised, transparency is expected and trust is earned through action – not empty promises.

I am committed to being a voice for parents, a partner for educators and an advocate for every student in Glendale Unified.

Together, we can restore trust, strengthen accountability and ensure our schools remain safe places where every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed.

Greg Krikorian, candidate, GUSD Area B: Protecting all students – especially our most vulnerable students and children with special needs – must be a top priority. If elected, I would advocate for stronger safety measures across our district to help prevent abuse, exploitation and inappropriate access to students both in person and online.

This includes implementing stronger safeguards against outside predators through social media and internet access. We have seen firsthand the dangers unrestricted internet access can create for children. I believe our district should review and strengthen firewalls, monitoring systems, age-appropriate internet restrictions and access to platforms such as YouTube and social media to ensure students are protected while using school technology.

In addition, I support developing multiple levels of safety measures tailored to meet the needs of all students, especially children with special needs who may be more vulnerable to manipulation or abuse. Staff training, mandatory reporting procedures, transparency and accountability must remain a priority.

As a member of the board of education, I would work collaboratively with fellow board members, the superintendent, parents, teachers, staff and community stakeholders to develop and implement stronger safeguards that protect our children. I also believe there must be zero tolerance for misconduct and employees accused of abuse or inappropriate behavior should never simply be transferred to another school or district without proper investigation and accountability.

Our children deserve safe learning environments where families can feel confident their students are protected, supported, and valued.

Ingrid Gunnell, candidate, GUSD Area B: I have been on the GUSD board since 2022 and in that time we have made systemic shifts in our policies, practices and procedures to address sexual misconduct and abuse in our district. There are three main factors contributing to the recent reports.

In 2019, legislation was passed that extended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse filing, which resulted in cases being filed across California dating back decades (i.e., 1970s), prior to the election of any of the current school board members who are now resolving these cases. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB218

There are recent reports of both allegations of abuse and court findings of abuse, which are publicly available and occurred prior to my time on the school board, (i.e., 2001-2004 https://www.audacy.com/knxnews/news/local/women-say-former-crescenta-valley-high-teacher-recorded-them# and 2012-2015 https://gusd.net/14233_3?articleID=53394).

There are current allegations of abuse as recently as December 2025 (i.e., https://gusd.net/14233_3?articleID=53292).

All of these allegations and findings are incredibly disturbing and traumatic to our students and families. There is no excuse for children to be victims of heinous crimes.

What we, the current school board, are doing in real time to address both the allegations and findings is shifting our policies, practices and procedures to make our schools safer for students and uncomfortable for adults who would think to prey upon them.  

1. All adults who work with students will have (most already have) ASCIP training to prevent abuse and be able to identify behaviors that may lead to abuse. The training includes all district employees, after-school employees and contract employees. This is in addition to the required mandated reporter training and finger-printing the district requires.
2. Changes in diapering and toileting, mandating two adults be present at all times for students who need assistance and certifying they know the new policy with a signature.
3. Listening sessions with school communities to be transparent with what has happened, address the policy changes and listen to/answer to parents about the sexual abuse allegations.
4. Contracted with an outside law firm to investigate former and current issues; notify and interview parents; advise the district on practices that can be made to stop sexual misconduct. https://gusd.net/14233_3?articleID=55703
5. Post this information on our website and send to our families via Parent Square, in their home language.

https://www.ingridgunnell.com/

Janet Balekian, candidate, GUSD Area D: “THE GUSD FAILED MISERABLY.” 

These are the words of Judge Ruth A. Kwan who issued the Statement of Decision in a horrific case involving the sexual abuse of a nonverbal autistic child by a GUSD employee. 

This case revealed far more than abuse. It exposed a district culture of failure, delay and dysfunction. 

Despite GUSD’s legal manipulation, which appeared intentional to delay the case and discourage the plaintiffs, their perseverance ultimately gave the community a disturbing and clear view of how deeply broken this district is. 

Judge Kwan’s statements were shocking. She stated that if she could apportion liability, she would assign 90% to GUSD and only 10% to the actual abuser because of GUSD’s “multiple failures in establishing rules, guidelines, protocols, training and supervision” to protect students. 

Let that sink in. 

The judge placed overwhelming responsibility not on the individual abuser but on the system that failed to prevent, detect and stop the abuse of a vulnerable child. Unbelievably, she noted that at the time of her decision, the defendants were still employed by GUSD. 

This is not accountability. This is institutional failure at the highest level. 

We have seen similar “pass-the-trash” practices now under federal investigation in LAUSD where employees accused of misconduct were reportedly moved to other schools rather than removed. GUSD parents deserve to know whether policy, union protection, internal decisions or board failure allowed dangerous people near children. 

Collective bargaining agreements and teachers’ union politics must never be allowed to outweigh the safety of children. When the Glendale Teachers’ Association controls the board, accountability is compromised before it even begins. The board’s duty is not to protect unions, insiders or the system. Its duty is to protect students and answer to parents and the community. 

GUSD must train employees to recognize grooming and sexual abuse warning signs. Misconduct reports must go to independent people, including law enforcement when appropriate, not just a single supervisor who can bury complaints. 

Whistleblowers, parents, staff and students must be protected from retaliation. The district should establish an independent safety oversight committee, require public misconduct procedures and conduct annual audits to prove safeguards work. 

I am a GUSD parent with 25 years experience as a teacher and administrator, not beholden to special interests, political machines or union pressure. My only allegiance is to students, parents and school safety.

www.janet4gusdboard.com  

Kathleen Cross, candidate, GUSD Area C: Abuse of any kind, in any setting, is unacceptable and heartbreaking. When harm involves children, especially our most vulnerable students, it demands accountability, humility and an ongoing commitment to continuously improve. 

Situations like this strike fear in the heart of every parent. While we understand that no system is perfect, we need leaders who are striving towards perfection … leaders [who] can build off what we know works and invest in learning how to improve. It is important that the culture of a district is rooted in the commitment to building layers of protection that make misconduct less likely to occur, harder to conceal, easier to report and faster to address. 

Student safety cannot rest on a single background check or policy. It requires a community where everyone plays a role: staff who are trained and empowered to act, parent volunteers who understand reporting expectations, students who are supported in age-appropriate self-advocacy and boundaries, and leadership that takes concerns seriously the first time they are raised. 

For students who may not be able to speak for themselves, including many students receiving special education services, we carry an even greater responsibility to ensure trusted supports and safeguards are in place. For information on how to talk to your kids about body autonomy, you can visit the GUSD site: https://www.gusd.net/bodysafety – additionally, for anyone seeking support in processing this information please find referral forms and resources [at]: https://gusd.net/mentalhealth. 

I believe strong systems are built through continual review and adaptation to changing needs. That means maintaining clear reporting pathways, strong oversight of contractors and partner agencies, meaningful staff training, regular evaluation of policies and practices and appropriate independent review when concerns arise. Safety work is never finished; it must be visited, revisited, tested and strengthened over time. 

The path to safer schools is one we build together: schools, families, staff and students working in partnership to be the voice for those without one, the eyes for what others may miss and the support our children deserve when they need us most. 

Shant Kevorkian, candidate, GUSD Area D: When parents drop their kids off at school, they should always be able to do so with total peace of mind. My heart is heavy at the thought of a single student suffering an instance of sexual misconduct. One instance is one too many. It simply cannot be allowed to happen, ever.

Strengthening Our Contractor Vetting Systems. As district leaders and policymakers, it is the board’s responsibility to strengthen our student protection procedures and implement enhanced vetting systems of third-party contractors to eliminate any and all potential danger posed by would-be predators. This is a responsibility that I take with the utmost seriousness. As a GUSD board member, my top priority will be ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every student in our district. We cannot put a price on the safety of our students.

Leading in Creating a Culture of Safe Reporting. It’s also critically important that we create an environment where any student or faculty member [who] does, God forbid, experience an instance of harassment, assault or misconduct of any kind can feel safe and fully supported in coming forward to report it. We as a board must lead in cultivating a strong, cohesive culture of staying vigilant as a community, rejecting bystander-ism and immediately nipping problems in the bud – if you see something, say something. There is simply no room for error when it comes to our students’ and faculty members’ wellbeing.

Safeguarding the Right to a Safe Learning Experience. My priority as [a] board member will be to make sure that our safety policies are air-tight and rigorously and uniformly applied across our district. Every Glendale student, regardless of which school they attend, has the fundamental right to a safe learning environment and a healthy, empowering school experience, every day.

As a GUSD board member, I will conduct a comprehensive, exacting review of the existing safety standards, identify any concerns or areas of improvement and immediately act to fill in any gaps where necessary. This sustained level of attention and care is essential to ensuring that all of our teachers, administrators and, most importantly, our students receive the support and protection they need and deserve.

What’s more, I wholeheartedly commit to maintaining an open-door policy and serving as a listening ear and resource provider to every single GUSD student, teacher and administrator seeking assistance on this topic. As elected leaders and representatives, it is our core responsibility as board members to safeguard and promote. I’m ready and fully committed to fulfilling that responsibility.

To learn more, visit ShantForGUSD.com.  

Vrej Agajanian, candidate, GUSD Area C: Protecting students, especially the most vulnerable students in special education programs, must always be a top priority. What happened is deeply concerning and parents deserve accountability, transparency and leadership that takes student safety seriously. When I was in office as mayor and council member, there were regular meetings between the [Glendale] City Council and the Glendale Unified School District [Board of Education] so city leadership would remain informed about important issues impacting students and families throughout the community. Unfortunately, after I left office those meetings stopped taking place. 

I believe restoring consistent collaboration between the city council and GUSD is extremely important because the safety and well-being of students affects the entire community, not just the school district. While the city council does not directly manage GUSD operations, a city council member still has a responsibility to stay informed, support transparency and work closely with school leadership, law enforcement and community organizations to ensure concerns are addressed before they escalate. Strong communication between agencies helps create accountability and ensures that warning signs are not ignored. When elected, I would support reestablishing regular meetings and coordination between the city council and GUSD leadership so there is stronger communication regarding public safety concerns, student protection policies and community issues affecting schools. I would also advocate for stronger safeguards, thorough background checks, proper oversight of contracted employees and clear reporting procedures so students and parents are protected and supported. Every student deserves to feel safe at school and every parent deserves confidence that adults in positions of trust are being properly vetted, supervised and held accountable. 

Protecting children cannot be treated as a political issue. It must remain a community-wide responsibility.