There’s a Change.org petition that, as of this writing, is just shy of 500 signatures and its calling for the removal of Julio Perez as an adjunct professor at CSU Long Beach where he teaches a class in the Chicano Studies Department.
See the petition here and sign it is you are so inclined.
The post offers this:
The Chican@ Latin@ Studies department, at California State University Long Beach, hired Julio Perez as an adjunct professor, currently teaching CHLS 400 Latino Politics in the US. Perez was an ex-labor leader in Orange County who was fired from the Orange County Labor Federation due to sexual harassment allegations in 2018.
Perez was accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct against them, a formal investigation concluded their testimonies were credible. Perez has never come forward to make public apologies for his actions nor has he confronted the allegations.
It is disheartening to hear that this individual became part of the CHLS department, was placed inside a classroom as a professor and in a position of power.
The CHLS department has not released a formal statement to the students or the community addressing this incident. Therefore, we come together as students and alumni to formally petition for Julio Perez’s removal from the classroom and termination of his employment at CSULB. We echo the concerns of the 19 elected officials and community members calling for his termination.
It is imperative that all students have safety at CSULB.
Follow @safeCHLS on IG for more information!
In speaking with a few of the electeds who brought this issue to light, CSU Long Beach has responded to their letter calling for Perez’s removal but didn’t offer much detail, citing privacy policies in the hiring of personnel. The leaders, whom I won’t name so :Perez’s friends can dox them, won’t share a copy of the letter. No one appears happy.
Perez is teaching on online class and offers office hours for students via Zoom only. There are still unanswered questions like: Will he remain on staff for the Spring 2022 term? Will he be teaching additional classes? What is the CSU’s system for performing background checks on candidates? Perez was never arrested and admitted no wrongdoing; his accountability came in the form of his firing by the OC Labor Fed.
My big question is what role did Dr. Rigoberto Rodriguez, Ph.D., M.U.R.P and president of the Santa Ana Unified School District and/or Dr. Jose Moreno, Anaheim City Council Member, play in Perez’s hiring. Rigo is the CSU Long Beach Department chair and he has not issued any statement. And if you are a parent of students attending SAUSD schools, you might be very concerned about his judgement.
TheLiberalOC has reached out to CSU Chancellor Joseph Castro’s office for details on the vetting process for those who teach at CSU schools. The public affairs department of the chancellor’s officer says hiring decisions are left to individual schools and there was no response to questions on background checks.