Fremont, CA – An East Bay parent is planning to picket outside of a Fremont school Friday morning when the teacher accused of slapping the man’s son over a math problem is set to return to class. Nine-year-old Julian Rivera says he loves school, but on April 28 he says he had a bad experience.
The third grader stood next to his father outside of Patterson Elementary in Fremont as explained how he says his teacher Fred Berg inappropriately touched him.
“Grabbed me by my chin like this and slapped me two times in the face,” remembered Julian.
Fremont schools Assistant Superintendent Bob Lee confirmed that Berg had been placed on administrative leave on Tuesday, but that after an investigation by the district and Fremont police, appropriate action was taken and the teacher is scheduled to return to work Friday. The decision was made at a meeting where Rivera objected to the decision, Rivera said.
“He slapped my son in the face,” Rivera said. Rivera, a union sheet metal worker with Local 104, said he has been missing work for the last two weeks while dealing with the incident and his son is now terrified to go to school.
“If they cared they wouldn’t have this guy at all at the school because what about the other kids in that class?” Rivera said.
Choyce is preparing to file a claim against the school district, he said, while Rivera is planning an 8 a.m. protest with other parents at the school over the teacher returning to work.
