Former probation camp teacher held in fight probe

A former teacher at a Los Angeles County probation camp was arrested Tuesday on six counts of child endangerment for allegedly organizing boxing-style bouts -- recorded by a security camera -- between students during class, authorities said.

Stephen Wesley, 43, was arrested by Los Angeles County sheriff‘s investigators as he left a home in the 7000 block of Faust Avenue in Canoga Park about 7 a.m., according to Steve Whitmore, a sheriff’s spokesman. He is being held in lieu of $600,000 bail, according to County Jail records.

“This individual was supposed to create a safe environment for probationers and he was allowing them to engage in overt violent acts,” Whitmore said. “He not only allowed the fights to take place, he set the ground rules.”

Wesley’s arrest stems from actions that Whitmore said were recorded Aug. 8, 2008, at Camp Karl Holton in San Fernando, one of 21 juvenile probation camps and halls.

Whitmore said Wesley can be seen and heard on the security footage organizing five bouts between rival gang members in response to an argument that began that morning between two students over gangs.

Wesley told students where and how long to fight, and instructed them to avoid blows to the face that would leave signs of injuries, Whitmore said.

FOR THE RECORD: An article in Wednesday’s LATExtra section about the arrest of a former probation camp teacher for allegedly arranging fights between students in his class said school officials removed the teacher, Stephen Wesley, from the classroom five days after the alleged fights were reported. Los Angeles County Office of Education officials clarified that Wesley was not given any teaching assignments during that five-day interim

According to a probation official who has seen the tape, Wesley stood inside the classroom door as students -- who apparently told him that the security camera was broken -- cheered on shirtless fighters. Wesley appeared to be on the lookout for passing probation staff or fellow teachers and can be heard urging the students not to tell anyone about the fights, according to the source.

Probation staff monitoring live video feeds saw students fighting in Wesley’s classroom late in the day, broke up the fight and then realized that some of the youths had visible injuries, according to Interim Probation Chief Cal Remington. At that point, they reviewed the day’s footage from Wesley’s classroom and notified sheriff’s investigators of the fights, Remington said.

Several students examined by camp medical staff suffered minor injuries, according to a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the agency that employs 200 teachers in the camps and halls.

Supervisors removed Wesley from the classroom five days later, and he resigned Sept 29, 2008, before he could be disciplined, according to school officials.

Darline Robles, superintendent of the Office of Education, called the case “a rare occurrence.”

“We feel confident the incident at Camp Holton was promptly investigated and handled to protect the safety of students while also upholding the privacy rights of the employee,” Robles said in a statement Tuesday.

Whitmore said sheriff’s investigators first brought the case to prosecutors about a year ago, and warrants were issued for Wesley last month. Teacher misconduct at the halls and camps is investigated by five staffers at the district’s Office of Labor Relations.

During the last five years, they have investigated allegations of misconduct against 22 teachers and a counselor, sustained allegations against half but only fired one, according to records.

Robles’ agency and the Probation Department agreed two years ago to improve education for juvenile offenders after federal investigators threatened to intervene.

In January, former probation youths filed a federal class-action lawsuit against county education office officials and the Probation Department alleging substandard education at a camp complex in Lancaster.

Wesley had worked for less than two years as a teacher for the agency, which is funded by the state and run by L.A. County, according to spokeswoman Margo Minecki.

State records indicate Wesley has a valid teaching credential and no record of state discipline.

Reached by phone prior to his arrest, Wesley recalled substitute teaching at Camp Holton for one day but said he knew nothing about students fighting during class. He said he left probation to teach at a special education school in Bellflower, but that he is currently unemployed.

Wesley, who grew up in the South Los Angeles neighborhood of Jefferson Park, said he served in the Marines and worked in a series of jobs before studying at Cal State Northridge to become a teacher, with the goal of giving back to inner-city youth. At probation halls and camps, the father of five said he got “no support” from veteran teachers and struggled to maintain control of his often overcrowded classes.

“They just put me in a classroom and said, ‘Do the best you can,’ ” Wesley said Monday. “I never complained, but I never had adequate support.”

Wesley said he was apprehensive about teaching at Camp Holton because he had heard “horror stories” about youth rioting and attacking teachers. “It’s like you’re going into battle without armor,” Wesley said. “As long as you don’t get hurt, you’re fine.” After his day at the camp, Wesley said he “vowed I wouldn’t go back to that site.”

Remington said teachers and other officials in the camps carry pen-shaped “panic buttons” to summon probation staff in emergencies. “If he felt threatened, then he should have talked to probation staff,” Remington said.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com