DA urged to review allegation of abuse
Group says state, school failed duty
A disability advocacy group says a Randolph school for children with special needs and the state agencies that oversee it failed to adequately assess allegations in 2007 that a teacher was physically and mentally abusing six young, nonverbal students in her classroom.
The Disability Law Center is calling on the state Department of Children and Families to commission an independent review of its investigation of South Shore Educational Collaborative. The center is also calling on the Norfolk district attorney’s office to review the process and outcome of the criminal complaint, which was rejected by Randolph police after the department decided there was no probable cause.
“This goes well beyond what happened with this teacher and six students,’’ said Matthew Engel, the center’s senior attorney. “It’s about how a school itself reacted and circled the wagons.’’
In a 10-page rebuttal of the report, lawyers for the school said the state, Randolph police, a clerk magistrate, and a judge all concluded that the allegations of abuse were not credible.
School attorney Regina Williams Tate wrote that the Disability Law Center’s investigation was “predetermined and biased in its conclusions and that none of the recommendations are warranted or appropriate.’’
In its investigation, the disability center said it found credible evidence that a teacher bent back the hands and arms of children with autism and mental retardation to force compliance with her instructions.
It said she employed an illegal restraint on a prone child for 20 minutes, prohibited aides from giving water to overheated children in “timeouts,’’ and regularly used aggression as a tool for domination.
Also, according to the allegations, the teacher made statements such as “like it or lump it’’ and “I’m bigger, badder, and stronger’’ when confronting the children.
The teacher has denied the allegations.
Engel’s report recommends that the school provide training on positive behavior supports, restraint prevention, and reporting of abuse and neglect allegations.
There should be timely written notification to parents of any restraints that last more than five minutes, the report said.
Alison Goodwin, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Children and Families, said the department’s attorney has not yet reviewed the report fully.
“But we will examine the findings to determine if an additional review is appropriate,’’ Goodwin said.
John Quill of Norwell, though, said there is no doubt in his mind that his son, now 12, was abused.
Sean had a cut lip and sore leg at the time of the allegations, his father said. The school said his teacher accidentally sliced his lip with a fingernail after Sean tried to bite her. The leg pain was said to be from kicking a chair.
Bolton can be reached at
mmbolton1@verizon.net. 