School District and teachers' union agree to keep findings about teachers' assistant secret from state officials.
Feb 29, 2008 - In Wisconsin, a 32-year-old special education teacher's assistant was arrested by the FBI for possession of child pornography. A local television outlet discovered that in 2006 Anthony J. Hirsch, 32, was allowed to resign under a Memorandum of Understanding after touching a girl. He was working at a similar job at La Follette High School in Madison at the time.
According to Madison police reports, on April 6, 2006, a LaFollette student alleged Hirsch unexpectedly placed his hand on the top part of her exposed leg as he told her “your legs are sexy.”In the agreement with the Madison school district, Hirsch was allowed to resign and the Madison school district agreed to keep their findings about him a secret from the state.
The girl also alleged Hirsch touched her buttocks with rolled up papers as they passed in a stairwell. Hirsch claimed his actions with the papers were innocent, but did not recall if he had touched the girl’s leg as he tried to boost her self esteem. Hirsch was not arrested. But reports show Hirsch was suspended from school on that date.
The agreement also stated that the district would provide a "neutral reference" - providing only name, SS #, dates of employment and salary - for Hirsch to allow him to access to children at other schools. The agreement was signed by Hirsch, Madison Teachers [a union that represents teachers, substitutes, educational assistants, supportive educational employees and school security assistants] Executive Director John Matthews, and District Director of Labor Relations Duane McCrary.
Since Hirch's arrest, he has been charged with the repeated sexual assault of another LaFollette student in 2003 during her freshman and sophomore years, when she was 14. Authorities say Hirsch’s past actions with the girl were uncovered during the child pornography investigation.
How's that for protecting children?
TT entry for Hirsch.
