LAUSD Supt. Alberto Carvalho placed on paid leave following FBI raid of home, office
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Los Angeles schools Supt.Alberto Carvalho has been placed on indefinite administrative leave, officials announced Friday — two days after FBI agents raided his home and office related to an undisclosed criminal investigation.
Andres Chait, a senior LAUSD administrator who has served as chief of school operations, was named acting superintendent, an announcement made by board President Scott Schmerelson.“I know that this is a very challenging time,” Schmerelson said, “and I want you to know that the Board believes in you, supports you and know that you will all continue to do your very best to support the students and families of the district.”It was not entirely clear whether Schmerelson was addressing Carvalho, the LAUSD community or both.After his remarks, board members quickly exited the room in silence.The FBI has not accused Carvalho of wrongdoing, but well-placed sources told The Times that Carvalho is a target of an investigation into AllHere, a defunct company that designed an all-purpose chatbot for the nation’s second-largest school system.
The chatbot was unveiled in March 2024 and quietly withdrawn from limited service within three months — about the time that AllHere collapsed financially.In November of that year, company founder and chief executive Joanna Smith-Griffin was charged with defrauding investors.
She has pleaded not guilty.The length of Carvalho’s leave was not set in a statement released by the board.Carvalho could not be reached for comment and has made no public statement.Veteran attorney and education activist Virgil Roberts questioned the board’s action unless members have information that has not been made public — which, he added, seems unlikely given the secrecy of the federal investigation.“My advice to the school board will be: Slow down.
Don’t react immediately, because you have no facts,” Roberts said.Even though...