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Update for the ECE community

March 1, 2024

Dear ECE Families,

We have been working to respond to the questions you raised at and since last week’s Town Hall, and would like to provide the following updates. Many of these questions are also answered in our online FAQs, which will be updated with new information.

Information about the incident

Many families have asked about the initial report and what occurred. The following timeline describes what we understand and can now share about the incident, the actions taken by ECE to report it promptly and the various agencies involved in the investigation. The California Department of Social Services (DSS) Community Care Licensing Division will post information related to the incident on its website and you can sign up there to receive updates.

  • On Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, ECE staff observed Christopher Rodriguez with his head, torso and arm on an ECE student and notified ECE leadership the same day. ECE leadership then informed the student’s parents about the incident.  
  • ECE staff also called the DSS child abuse hotline to report the incident to governmental authorities. The hotline consultant downgraded the report to a “consultation,” which means the consultant assessed that the information reported did not rise to the level of conduct that would be investigated at that time.  
  • On Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, Mr. Rodriguez was placed on investigatory leave and ECE reported the incident to the DSS Community Care Licensing Division. We did not notify the broader ECE community of Mr. Rodriquez's leave consistent with campus employee relations practice, privacy laws, and to protect the integrity of investigations.
  • In mid-Jan. 2024, the parents of the same ECE student involved in the Dec. 15, 2023 incident reported new allegations concerning Mr. Rodriguez, and the new allegations were provided to UCPD, DSS Community Care Licensing and UCLA’s Title IX Office.  With this new information, UCPD conducted an investigation. 
  • UCPD’s investigation led to the arrest of Mr. Rodriguez on Feb. 21, 2024, on five misdemeanor charges, including two charges of misdemeanor sexual battery, one charge of misdemeanor false imprisonment, one charge of misdemeanor battery, and one charge of misdemeanor willful cruelty to a child.
  • Statement from UCPD: During the recent Town Hall, questions were raised about what information, if any, could be shared by law enforcement and the university about the underlying abuse reports and pending criminal investigation. UCPD Chief John Thomas has issued a letter to the ECE community regarding the investigation and arrest of Mr. Rodriguez. This letter clarifies that it is not accurate to suggest that university representatives could share these details about the investigation, even if law enforcement could not. Chief Thomas states that in investigating and prosecuting criminal claims, “it is paramount that details regarding the reports not be shared by law enforcement or the university. Doing so can jeopardize the investigation, compromise the collection of evidence, making it harder to hold those responsible for such acts accountable.” UCPD has requested that “the university refrain from sharing further details regarding the substance of the reports and investigation beyond those already made public through other agencies until the prosecution of this matter is concluded.” The full text of Chief Thomas’ letter is linked on the ECE website.

Security and safety

  • Further exclusion order: On Dec. 18, 2023, the first business day after receiving allegations related to Mr. Rodriguez’s conduct, the university issued an administrative stay-away order to Mr. Rodriguez, directing him not to come to any site of the ECE department, and not to contact any families or employees at ECE. After Rodriguez’s arrest, the DSS Community Care Licensing division issued an Immediate Exclusion Order on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, barring Mr. Rodriguez from entering any of ECE’s licensed facilities, and issued a Type A Citation for Mr. Rodriguez’s conduct, finding his conduct had an immediate health, safety or personal rights impact. The full text of the DSS Community Care licensing report is to be posted on its website and will include information about the incident. You may sign up there to receive updates. 
  • ECE has conducted mandatory child abuse reporting training, will be conducting additional scenario-based trainings, and has engaged Praesidium — national experts in abuse prevention — to conduct such trainings.
  • Additional security measures
    • We are rekeying all doors at the Krieger Center.
    • Security guards have been placed at Krieger out of an abundance of caution. UCPD and other relevant campus groups will continue to monitor the situation and keep security guards for the time being. 
    • UCPD is supervising the security guards and will provide additional instructions as needed.
    • A photo of the teacher who has been arrested was shared with UCPD, security guards, ECE teachers and staff, and other relevant campus groups for safety monitoring. Security guards, ECE teachers and staff who see the teacher on campus have been instructed to contact UCPD immediately.
    • UCLA has a team that monitors and reports potential threats to the campus community. This group is engaged and actively monitoring this situation.
    • Out of an abundance of caution, UCPD will oversee security assessments at all three ECE centers. We typically do not share security assessment reports because making that information public could create a safety risk. 

Communication and administration

  • Town Hall Zoom Video: After reviewing the Town Hall video, there were several instances where parents and minor children were identified. We are evaluating ways to make the questions and information from the Town Hall available and will further update the community next week. However, out of respect for the parents’ and minors’ privacy, the Town Hall video will not be publicly released in its current form. 
  • Re-enrollment: To give parents time to make the important decision about re-enrollment at ECE, we are extending the deadline to Apr. 11, 2024, and waiving the $250 re-enrollment fee. 
  • ECE staff support: We are providing additional support, resources and training to teachers and staff at ECE.
  • Staffing and hiring
    • We are reevaluating our policy on staff leave notifications to parents and will share updates when this review process has been completed.
    • UCLA has an extensive hiring and screening process and ECE requires all employees to be in good standing with the DSS Community Care Licensing Division.  
    • The entire UC system takes our responsibility to act both ethically and lawfully very seriously. The UC Whistleblower policy can be found on the UCOP website. To protect the safety and anonymity of whistleblowers, their identities are not shared publicly. 

As we previously mentioned, due to the significant number of calls and messages we are receiving, we ask that you send messages to ece@ece.ucla.edu so we can respond as accurately, thoroughly and quickly as we are able.

We will continue to update the ECE website with the latest information, messages, available resources and answers to frequently asked questions. 

This situation is deeply painful for all involved and we appreciate your continued compassion and consideration as we work through this difficult time as a community.

Sincerely,

Tina and Tashon 

Christina (Tina) Christie
Wasserman Dean & Professor
UCLA School of Education & Information Studies

Dr. Tashon McKeithan
Lead Director
UCLA Early Care and Education