Open Letter to the School Board: Cash Settlements and School Discipline
Gentlemen:
According to news reports, MCSD is considering a lump sum $550,000 payout to the family of a profoundly autistic elementary school student. Purportedly, the child was molested by a substitute teacher who is now in federal prison.
Again, according to news reports, the suit in federal court was brought not entirely because of the molestation, but because of the allegations that the child’s mother reported the incident(s) to officials at Sugarloaf School and was ignored. One expects that there is a foundation, a truthfulness, to those allegations or the School District would not be so quick to settle out of court. If the School District is innocent, if it acted responsibly to the allegations and taken action, would not the District fight the case in court? That would be the reasonable thing to do. You do not pay out over a half a million dollars if you are not culpable.
A number of people have contacted me after reviewing the newspaper reports and coming to the same conclusion that I have, that someone(s) at Sugarloaf School failed to protect the child after being informed that he was in danger. If that is the case, please inform me if it is not, has anyone at Sugarloaf School been disciplined as a result of this tragic episode? If not, then why not? I would like copies of any disciplinary action taken by the District.
On a related matter, will the settlement be paid by insurance or will it come directly from the taxpayers’ pockets?
Larry Murray