DISTRICT TO REVIEW HARASSMENT CASE.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

The school district's Risk Management Department is investigating a claim from a woman who said she was humiliated and harassed while working part time as a playground supervisor at Atherwood Elementary School last year.

In a claim filed with the Simi Valley Unified School District, Terri McCowan said she suffered ``emotional damages'' after a confrontation with the school's custodian.

Interim Superintendent Bob Purvis refused to comment about the matter, saying the claim might result in litigation.

During its meeting Tuesday, the school board referred McCowan's claim to the Risk Management Department, which normally handles such issues, Purvis explained.

McCowan said that the incident occurred March 15, when McCowan reprimanded two boys for running in the lunchroom. After she sent the boys to sit at their table, McCowan said that Don Garcia, the school's head custodian for three years, began to scold them.

In a letter to the school's principal, McCowan said that she saw Garcia ``hit (the student) on the top of the crown of the head.''

After Garcia spoke with school officials later that day, he learned that McCowan had told the boy to report the incident to the office. McCowan said that Garcia confronted her in front of students, telling her to stay out of his business and keep her mouth shut.

Garcia said in a telephone interview that his fit of rage was spurred by an untrue allegation that could get him both fired and arrested.

``She is so far off the wall it's ridiculous,'' said Garcia, who said he was only joking with the boy that day and McCowan misunderstood.

A district investigation found that Garcia had not hit the student, officials said. However, he was suspended for two days without pay for shouting at McCowan in front of the students.

On March 27, Garcia wrote a letter of apology to McCowan for his behavior.

``I put my nose where it didn't belong and tried to usurp your authority,'' the letter states. ``I lost my temper, which was wrong, and let my anger fly in front of the student body. I know that I embarrassed you and instilled fear.''

McCowan quit her job in May. Garcia is recovering from a physical ailment and will return to Atherwood in two to three weeks.

McCowan said she is not asking for monetary damages.

``Money is not the issue,'' she said. ``The issue is that this gentleman should not be working with children.''

Garcia, a retired police officer who spent 20 years on the Indianapolis police force, said he regrets the incident.