There is fascinating reading if you visit the website of The Special Commission of Investigation for the New York City School District.
It is not the randomness of the press releases that should amaze you but the lack of investigations in a school district that employs hundreds of thousands of teachers. Nevertheless, the occasional gem is worth the trip.
June 25, 2008 - Press Release
Today, Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard J. Condon released a report detailing an investigation which found that Johnathan Williams, a 28-year-old school aide assigned to JHS 126 in Brooklyn, engaged in a pattern of inappropriate behavior toward at least nine female students and one male student.Commissioner Condon recommended to the Chancellor that disciplinary action be taken against the school officials who failed to notify SCI of Mr. Williams’s behavior.
The investigation also revealed thatschool officials were made aware of Williams’s actions but they failed to report his misconduct to the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation (“SCI”).
The investigation found that Williams frequently encouraged students to participate in a game of “tag” in the school’s auditorium or in a closet located in the cheerleading office—with the lights off—during which time he would use the opportunity to touch the female students inappropriately either on their buttocks, breasts, back, or hips. In other instances, he made sexual comments to other female students which included complementing their bodies and discussing when he lost his virginity.
Some of the students in question complained to school officials about Williams’s behavior and prepared written statements, however, none of the officials notified SCI. Instead, Williams received a verbal warning. After SCI began an investigation, school officials were unable to identify the students and did not locate the written statements submitted by the students.
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TT - Educators are mandatory reporters who are required by state law - not school district policy - to notify authories when they suspect child abuse. It is a requirement but one that is not even half-way enforced.
The above press release was issued in June. Williams was not arrested until October. Press Release on his arrest (dated Oct.21, 2008)
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New York Daily News (October 21) - The girls ranged in age from 11 to 13.
Special Schools Investigator Richard Condon said he was most disappointed that some staff members knew about the inappropriate touching but wrote it off as horseplay.-----------------------
"Everyone had an understanding of what was going," he said. "Everyone just sort of protected him."
The school's principal, Sheldon, Toback, has since retired. Condon said some staff members are still being questioned about what they knew about the incidents.
TT - DO NOT MISS the comments at the Daily News story. The report referred to by Condon that was prepared for NYC School Counselor Joel Klein. It can be found here. PDF
Condon recommended disciplinary actions against four administrators.
In any other school district in the country, with the exception of Gary, Indiana, Camden, NY, and St. Louis, MO, parents would be boiling oil for the administrators and teachers who allowed such abuse to continue for two years. But reduced expectations seem to be the norm in such schools. Parents there are either excessively tolerant, miserably subdued, woefully indifferent or totally uneducated in their right to demand accountability. It doesn't matter which. Bad schools and worse educrats thrive on the lack of attention.
