Student harassed for serving in the military
A student, who’s also a soldier, is speaking out about what he calls harassment that he endured at the hands of a teacher.
On Tuesday, Sgt. Omar Leyva attended his first day of classes at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College in downtown Los Angeles. He expected an uneventful art class, but instead he said was verbally attacked by the teacher.
“I didn’t expect it, especially at school,” said Leyva. “[He was] telling me how he hated the military. Hated, I guess, what they stood for.”
Leyva, who has been a National Guardsman for 14 years, was running late and went to the class still wearing his uniform. The teacher allegedly began insulting him in front of all the other students.
“He generalized saying, ‘All they teach you is how to murder, how to kill. You probably can’t sleep at night,’” said Leyva. “I was in awe. I didn’t know how to respond to that.”
The school said that they have been unable to get in contact with the teacher to ask him about the allegations.
“In terms of what we think about our veterans, it’s nothing but the absolute highest pride and respect,” said Dr. Roland Chapdelaine, president of the L.A. Trade-Technical College.