Recently, Cal State LA was given the news that former math professor, McKale Antonious, is being convicted of sexual battery against a female student at Moorpark College, in Ventura County on March 2017.
Along with that message, the email briefly included a similar incident that occurred on February 25 of this year at Cal State LA during the Moorpark hearing. According to the email sent from Cal State LA, Antonious is no longer employed by the University.
Antonious, who also taught in various campuses around Los Angeles and Ventura County, also went by the names Zohair Isaac and Zohair Isshak. Based on an article from local Ventura County radio station, KVTA-AM1590, “Prosecutors wanted Antonious to be taken into custody pending sentencing but the judge denied that request and allowed him to remain free for now.”
There have been many questions in response to the incident. According to the Ventura County Community College District, a report was filed to the police five hours after the incident happened.
It is still unknown if the university had knowledge about Antonious’s criminal history prior to being hired at Cal State LA. The UT reached out to the office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, but were unable to get a response. According to the executive director for Communications and Public Affairs, Robert Lopez, Antonious was employed at Cal State LA from September 20, 2010 to May 25, 2019.
According to the Cal State LA website for Public Safety, there has not been a crime alert in response to the incident. The information pertaining to the witness who testified against Antonious has been handed off to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office. An investigation with the DA’s office is currently underway. So far, there has not been a news release made to the public, according to their site.
Cal State LA Title IX coordinator, Carol Roberts-Corb, stated that the university makes sure that in the case a student does face sexual battery, “We want to make sure they have the resources such as counseling and psychological services and any medical care that they might need.”
Antonious’s sentencing for the Moorpark case is scheduled for July 5, in Courtroom 44 of the Ventura County Superior Court.
