State Suspends License of Torrance Preschool

The license of a Torrance child-care center was temporarily suspended Friday by the state Department of Social Services, which alleged that the center’s director molested children at the facility over a two-year period.

The Peninsula Montessori School No. 1 at 3646 Newton St., which is closed for the summer, was ordered not to reopen as scheduled Sept. 10.

It is the second South Bay preschool owned by Claudia Krikorian to be shut down by the state. Krikorian’s Peninsula Montessori School No. 2 in Rolling Hills Estates was closed in December on grounds that it was operating without a license and had failed to cooperate with law enforcement authorities investigating allegations of sexual abuse of children there by a former teacher’s aide.

Social Services Department spokeswoman Liz Brady said the administrative complaint alleges that school director John W. Banta, who also is a teacher, “annoyed and/or sexually abused” four children at the school between February, 1983, and January, 1985. Brady said she did not know if Banta is still connected with the school, or if any criminal charges had been sought against him.

Krikorian or other school officials could not be reached for comment.

The license suspension order also contends that the Montessori school operated beyond its licensed capacity of 54 children and that it failed to provide fingerprints of three employees as required by law. The fingerprints are used in employee background checks, Brady said.

Krikorian has 15 days to request a hearing on the temporary license suspension, which will remain in effect until a final determination is made.

“No children requiring care or supervision can be on the premises,” Brady said. “We are very anxious that parents become aware of this action so they can make other arrangements for their children.”