Investigators to look at alleged bias complaint against Burbank High choir teacher

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into a complaint filed by Mark Greenburg, who alleged students in show choirs at Burbank High School were “subjected to different treatment on the basis of their race, sex and national origin by their teacher,” according to a letter from the Office of Civil Rights to Greenburg, dated Feb. 9.

Greenburg, an Arizona resident and president of music licensing firm Tresona Multimedia, filed the complaint last month, along with another complaint against Burbank High music teacher Brett Carroll, asking school officials to review private text messages that Carroll exchanged with music arranger Josh Greene that Greenburg alleged were inappropriate.

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The Office for Civil Rights will also investigate whether Greenburg was “subject to retaliation” after filing his complaint with the federal office, “when the lawyer for the show choir teacher continued to show up at hearings for an unrelated case, and send you harassing emails and messages,” according to the letter from the Office for Civil Rights to Greenburg, confirming the launch of the investigation.

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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan