Visalia Abuse Case and Food Label Reform: Two California Stories That Matter

Key Takeaways

• DeJaun Jones, a former Visalia Unified campus supervisor, sentenced to 5 years for sexual abuse of two students.
• Attorney alleges Jones was rehired despite past misconduct allegations at other schools, raising questions about hiring practices.
• California's new food labeling law, effective July 1, standardizes date labels to reduce confusion and food waste.
• Experts say most date labels indicate quality, not safety; consumers can use smell and sight to assess edibility.

Introduction

Two separate news stories out of California this week highlight critical issues: systemic failures in school hiring and everyday food waste. In Visalia, a former campus supervisor's prison sentence for sexual abuse has sparked an investigation into how he was rehired despite a history of misconduct. Meanwhile, a new state law aims to demystify food expiration dates, potentially saving consumers money and reducing landfill waste.

Visalia Unified: Rehired Despite Red Flags

DeJaun Jones, 40, pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts involving the sexual abuse of two students at Mt. Whitney High School. He was sentenced to five years in state prison. Attorney Brendan Gilbert, representing the victims in a civil case, alleges that Jones should never have been allowed back on campus. According to Gilbert, Jones previously worked at Monache High School, where he sent inappropriate messages to students, triggering a police investigation that did not lead to charges. Gilbert claims the district failed to conduct proper due diligence when rehiring Jones in October 2022. Visalia Unified's statement says it follows comprehensive pre-employment screening including fingerprinting and criminal history checks, but has not responded to specific questions about Jones' prior police reports. FOX26 reached out to board members, including congressional candidate Randy Villegas, with no response as of Tuesday.

Local California Context

The case hits Tulare County hard, where Visalia Unified serves over 12,000 students. Parents and community members are demanding transparency in hiring processes that grant campus supervisors direct access to students—including the ability to pull kids from class and drive them to remote locations. The district's silence on specific allegations has eroded trust.

California Tackles Food Label Confusion

In a separate but equally impactful development, California became the first state to standardize food date labels. As of July 1, manufacturers must use only two phrases: 'Best If Used By' for quality and 'Use By' for safety. The old 'Sell By' labels, used primarily for inventory management, are banned. The law aims to combat the staggering statistic that 80% of Americans occasionally throw away food near its package date, according to a Johns Hopkins study. Experts like Rutgers' Donald Schaffner emphasize that dates are about peak quality, not safety. Unopened canned goods, dry crackers, and shelf-stable items can last years past the date. However, caution is advised for meat and dairy—freezing before the 'best by' date extends usability. The FoodKeeper app from USDA and Cornell provides guidance.

Background

The Visalia scandal echoes previous cases where school districts rehired employees with known misconduct due to gaps in background checks or lack of information sharing. Nationwide, 'passing the trash' remains a persistent issue. On food labels, over 50 different date phrases have been used across the U.S., causing confusion thatCalifornia's law seeks to clarify. New York has since passed a similar measure.

Conclusion

Both stories underscore the need for vigilance—whether in school hiring practices or daily decisions about food waste. Residents of Tulare County should stay informed about school board responses, while all Californians can now rely on clearer labels to make smarter choices. Check your pantry: that 'expired' can of beans might still be good.

Sources and Materials

• kmph