Westport, MASSACHUSETTS

According to the police report, police were stonewalled by Westport school officials.

Jan 21, 2008 - Two special education teachers at Macomber Primary School were charged by police with assaulting a 6-year-old special needs student. Despite being charged, neither teacher was arrested and both remain in the classroom.

Renee Rego, 47, and the assistant, Linda Liberty, 46, were charged with two counts of assault and battery on a mentally retarded child, and one count of being a caretaker who permits another to commit assault and battery. A substitute teacher witnessed the alleged assaults and reported the incidents to Westport police. A paraprofessional also reported seeing the child grabbed “so forcefully that she ‘thought it had the possibility of dislocating his shoulder.”

According to the police report, police were stonewalled by Westport school officials.
Arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Macomber parents voicing support
There are three adults and six children in the class that was established last fall for children ages 3 to 6 "to avoid having to pay tens of thousands of dollars for each of those students to attend special schools out of district."

Police, schools at odds over alleged abuse
Superintendent says police police did not promptly and fully inform her of their investigation.
"I would have appreciated a call from the (police) chief," Dr. Galton told The Standard-Times Friday. She also said that school officials, who conducted an internal investigation, believe the allegations are unfounded; the two teachers remain on the job.

Sgt. Jeffrey F. Majewski, who investigated the incidents that allegedly took place Jan. 8 and 9, maintains that when police spoke with Macomber Principal Susan Wilkinson on Jan. 10, she did not share everything she knew until they pressed her.

"The school didn't volunteer any information," said Sgt. Majewski. "It would have been a benefit if we could have conducted the investigation with the school. Based on the circumstances, it was not possible, because the school concluded right at the outset (that) there wasn't any wrongdoing.

Ms. Liberty is charged with two counts of assault-and-battery on a mentally retarded child, and Ms. Rego is charged with being a caretaker who wantonly commits or permits the abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of a person with a disability, police said.

Sgt. Majewski contends investigators kept school officials up to date on the progress. He also said police did not arrive at their conclusions lightly, and they had consulted with the Bristol County District Attorney's office.

"It's not a perception issue," Sgt. Majewski said. "Three witnesses came forward. I believe the school is just having an issue believing this took place."

The parents also said they were not notified by any school official of the allegations, learning of them only from the police.

Jan 22 - An editorial from The News Herald urges the teachers be removed from the classroom.

The decision to allow two Westport teachers charged with multiple felonies against a child to continue teaching is irreponsible and potentially dangerous to students and the town.

They should both be removed from the classroom immediately, pending the outcome of the charges against them.

The newspaper asked, after learning that the school superintendent said they had conducted an investigation and the teachers would remain. "Since when has the School Department employed professional investigators?"

They conclude,

While the School Department might not consider the accusations problematic, the Bristol County District Attorney’s office clearly has a different opinion, planning to arraign the two women Feb. 5. That adds legitimacy to the claims and is more than enough reason to remove the two women from the classroom.

Doing so does not imply they are guilty of the crimes. Like any other defendent, Liberty and Rego are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the risk of exposing students to danger — and the town to potential lawsuits should they be found guilty — far outweighs the risk of having insulted the teachers with a paid leave should they be acquitted.

Allowing the pair to continue teaching while facing these charges is outrageous and dangerous. They must be removed immediately.

COURT APPEARANCES Feb 5 - Linda Liberty was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Feb 26.

Renee Rego also appeared in court.

“I think this is outrageous,” said Mrs. Rego’s attorney Kenneth D. van Colen. “The school already has done its own investigation and found no wrongdoing.”

She will be arraigned on Feb 26. [It does not say whether the two are still in the classroom or not.]

Feb 5 -

"The school did their own investigation, and they found no wrongdoing on Miss Rego's part. A state agency did their own investigation, and they found no wrongdoing on my client's part," Kenneth Van Colen, Rego's attorney, said.

Parents and some teachers wore white ribbons in Fall River District Court to show their support for both teachers.

Rego is still teaching. School officials said Liberty was placed on paid administrative leave a week ago.

Feb 11 - Opinion piece by an educator who describes herself as "school psychologist, guidance counselor, and early childhood outreach coordinator" who worked with Linda Liberty and Renee Rego and described them a "dedicated, responsible and dependable professionals." I would, without reservation, place a loved one in their care. I trust them implicitly."

New category: Our Own Investigation OOI

NOT GUILTY PLEA Feb 26 - Rego pleaded not guilty. Pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 11.

Ms. Rego’s lawyer, Kenneth D. van Colen, asked Judge Gilbert Nadeau Jr. to not impose an order forbidding contact with the alleged victim, and the judge agreed. The school already made other arrangements for the student, Mr. van Colen said. “The school chose to let (Ms. Rego) keep on working,” Mr. van Colen said in court.

CASE CONTINUED April 11 - The case has been continued until June 6 as their lawyers seek background checks of witnesses and information from the Department of Social Services. Rego's attorney wants to review criminal background information on Jill Alberto, a substitute teacher and a witness, and Linda Liberty, the teacher's aide, and other witnesses.

Rego was originally charged with permitting injury to a disabled person, but in February the charge was reduced to permitting abuse to a disabled person. Rego still teaches the class.