Parents urge La Palma to probe alleged toxic work environment after Tiny Top instructor’s departure

La Palma — A parent who said she speaks for several families asked the City Council on March 4 to investigate alleged workplace problems in the Recreation & Community Services department after a longtime Tiny Top instructor left before the end of the school year.

"My name is Chloe Genoyan," she began during oral communications, and described her family’s six years as La Palma residents. Genoyan said the instructor "Miss Misty has been the heart of the Tiny Top program for nearly a decade" and that the instructor’s early departure left children and families without planned transitions. She described what she said were workplace problems that contributed to the departure, including incidents in which "one specific employee made fun of my religion and commented about my culture," and said a supervisor dismissed her complaint.

Genoyan urged the council to "take a hard look at the work environment" in the department and said the city’s posted statements about cultural diversity do not reflect the experiences reported by families. The mayor noted that public comment items are referred to staff for response or future agenda placement under the city’s rules; the council did not take immediate action during the meeting but the comments were recorded and will be referred to staff for follow-up.

Another resident raised a separate safety concern about slippery floor finishing in a recreation center classroom; staff follow-up was requested.

The record shows the council referred the oral comments to staff for appropriate response or future agenda consideration, consistent with the city’s public-comment procedure.