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In the classrooms they left behind, children and teachers were adjusting. In Martha Cedeno's first-grade class, pupils told her where to find the gym schedule and explained they were to play volleyball, according to a pool report. Parents were offered the option of transferring their children to another school. District employees were on hand to give parents information about other schools in a two-mile radius and charter schools. Parents said children were confused since they were just getting to know their teachers. "It's kind of hard," said Lorena Soriano, whose sixth-grader attends Miramonte. "You barely know your teacher, and they're gone. The kids don't know what's going on." The new hires, which include a retired principal, 81 teachers and dozens of support staff, will cost the cash-strapped district $5.7 million, said district spokesman Thomas Waldman. The new staffers were recently laid off and were on a rehiring list. The district also faces potentially millions of dollars in legal costs as lawsuits are filed. Three lawsuits were filed on Tuesday, and claim notices have been filed for at least four other lawsuits. A number of parents have opted to file lawsuits instead of going to sheriff's detectives because they are illegal immigrants and are afraid they'll be deported. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano said he will reintroduce a bill this month that will protect children and domestic violence victims from deportation. "What does it say about our society if parents won't speak to the police when their children are in danger?" Ammiano asked. "Enough is enough. Every parent regardless of immigration status deserves access to the police and to know that their children are being protected." The lawsuits allege the district and Principal Martin Sandoval failed to adequately safeguard the students against Berndt and Springer. The school's reopening follows revelations that 200 more inappropriate photos of children were discovered, and that one teacher sent birthday cards and presents to students who participated in his games. Many of the photos involve children already identified by authorities, but there may be other victims, authorities said. Like the pictures that first alerted authorities to Berndt, the photos show children ages 6 to 10 blindfolded and being fed a milky, white liquid that authorities believe was semen on spoons or cookies. Berndt taught for 32 years at the South Los Angeles school. He remains jailed on $23 million bail and could face life in prison if convicted. The furor over his arrest led two parents to come forward last week to complain about Springer, who had worked at the school for 26 years. Detectives said there is no evidence that the two men acted in concert.
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