Courts. (Credit: LevittownNow.com)
Disability Rights PA, a nonprofit watchdog group that last April issued a report on alleged abuse in an autistic-support classroom in Central Bucks School District’s Jamison Elementary school, has concluded its probe of CBSD.
DRP determined in its April findings that administrators failed to duly investigate the allegations. The revelations resulted in the firing of Superintendent Steven Yanni and former Jamison principal David Heineman, among others, including teacher Gabrielle McDaniel and education assistant Rachel Aussprung, both of whom were accused of the abuse.
Their alleged actions included improperly using retraints and allowing children to remain in states of undress and engage in frankly sexual behavior. A November visit by DRP, in which interviews were conducted with administrators and autistic-support staff, led to no discovery of any “new reports of abuse and neglect.”
In a letter by Andrew Favini, new measures the district has adopted to prevent abuse and ensure its proper reporting “were substantial and emphasized a focus and dedication to improving the autistic support programs.”
Yanni and Heineman are appealing their terminations.
Former pupil services director Alyssa Wright is suing CBSD and eight current or former school directors, contending that she was a whistleblower who nonetheless was wrongly fired.
