5 Central Bucks School District employees fired over reports of student abuse
5 Central Bucks School District employees fired over reports of student abuse
Five employees of the Central Bucks School District, including the superintendent, were fired after reports of student abuse surfaced in the fall.
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Parents, teachers and community members are all sounding off Wednesday night at a school board meeting in which five employees were fired, including the superintendent, after reports of abuse surfaced last fall.
What we know:
The Central Bucks School Board voted Wednesday night to fire five district employees including the school superintendent and special education teacher at the center of a scandal.
The firings come after claims of student abuse and administrative coverup.
"This district let these students and your children down" said an emotional Central Bucks School Board President Susan Gibson, addressing the start of school board meeting. She was addressing the parents of special needs students of Jameson Elementary in Doylestown.
The backstory:
The school is where a whistleblower reported ongoing physical and abuse and neglect inside an autistic support classroom last fall. The son of school board member James Pepper says his son was one of those abused.
"It’s all in the report. It takes your breath away the way he was treated. He was treated like an animal," said Pepper.
At the time the school district said they found no evidence of abuse and the Bucks County District Attorney declined to press charges. But an April report by nonprofit Disability Rights Pennsylvania showed the students "…experienced abuse, neglect, illegal restraints and use of aversive techniques,"
The report also says special needs students were deprived of water, allowed to cry for long periods of time and were permitted to be nude in the classroom.
Dig deeper:
Although the district didn’t announce the names of the firings Wednesday night, special ed teacher Gabrielle McDaniel confirmed she was one of those fired. Through her attorneys she says:
"I am deeply disappointed by the District’s decision to terminate my employment based on allegations that have been thoroughly investigated and found to be unsubstantiated by the District itself and several agencies. It has been incredibly difficult to watch false claims about me be repeated and perpetuated — especially by people who know the truth."
Sources with the district tell FOX 29 school superintendent Dr. Steven Yanni was also terminated. The report said Dr. Yanni and other administrators failed to properly investigate and disclose the allegations.
What they're saying:
Parents say the firings are a wakeup call for the district.
"I am disappointed. I am disgusted. I like the word putrid," said parent Vonna DeArmond.
Pepper, who says he’s done with school district politics, hopes for change.
"Protection for all children from the highest functioning neurotypical child to the lowest functioning child with challenges - we need to protect our kids," he said.
What's next:
The district also says they will spend the summer working on policy reforms and training over the summer to help prevent any future incidents of abuse.