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January 25, 2010
Michelle A. Rhee Chancellor Rhee: In a recent article in the February issue of Fast Company magazine, you were quoted as saying that you utilized the October 2009 Reduction in Force to get “rid of teachers who had hit children, who had had sex with children, who had missed 78 days of school.” As Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, I find these claims alarming and deeply troubling. If these accusations are true, then we must act swiftly to ensure children are safe and perpetrators are investigated and brought to justice. If they are found to be untrue, then these accusations may devastate the lives of many of the teachers who were laid-off in the middle of a school year and who are struggling to rebuild their careers in the midst of a recession. My office is therefore launching an inquiry to determine whether the needs of children impacted by the alleged abuse were properly served and whether school communities and parents were properly notified and supported. The Council further intends to determine whether the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Metropolitan Police Department followed legally mandated procedures in reporting and responding to allegations of child abuse and sexual assault in our schools. As the first step in this inquiry, please respond to the following questions no later than Wednesday, January 27, 2010. 1. As it concerns teachers employed by District of Columbia Public Schools from July 1, 2007 to present, please list each instance where a teacher or school official who had “hit children [or] had sex with children,” was reported to the Metropolitan Police Department or the Child and Family Services Agency. 2. Please detail all actions that your agency took or recorded with respect to each of the instances listed in Question One. 3. Of the instances listed in Questions One and Two, please delineate which instances involved teachers dismissed under the 2009 Reduction in Force. 4. Regarding the teachers you identified as having “missed 78 days of school,” was that person on approved leave or AWOL? If they were on approved leave, was it sick leave or some other type of leave? 5. Please provide all agency policies related to mandatory reporting of abuse or neglect and training around these requirements for teachers and school officials. 6. Please provide all agency policies related to teacher attendance and absenteeism, including vacation and sick leave policies. The Council of the District of Columbia takes these allegations very seriously as the safety and well-being of all children is now in question. We look forward to receiving your responses. Thank you, Vincent C. Gray January 25, 2010 Cathy L. Lanier Chief Lanier: In a recent article in the February issue of Fast Company magazine, Chancellor Michelle Rhee is quoted as saying that she utilized the October 2009 Reduction in Force to get “rid of teachers who had hit children, who had had sex with children, who had missed 78 days of school.” As Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, I find these claims alarming and deeply troubling. If these accusations are true, then we must act swiftly to ensure children are safe and perpetrators are investigated and brought to justice. If they are found to be untrue, then these accusations may devastate the lives of many of the teachers who were laid-off in the middle of a school year and who are struggling to rebuild their careers in the midst of a recession. My office is therefore launching an inquiry to determine whether the needs of children impacted by the alleged abuse were properly served and whether school communities and parents were properly notified and supported. The Council further intends to determine whether the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Metropolitan Police Department followed legally mandated procedures in reporting and responding to allegations of child abuse and sexual assault in our schools. As the first step in this inquiry, please respond to the following questions no later than Wednesday, January 27, 2010. 1. From June 1, 2007 to present, please list each instance where your department received a report from a District of Columbia Public Schools employee in which another employee, “had hit children [or] had had sex with children.” 2. Please detail all actions taken by the Metropolitan Police Department in response to each of the reports listed in Question One. 3. Please provide the Metropolitan Police Department’s protocol for responding to allegations of abuse or sexual misconduct by a teacher in a public school in the District of Columbia. The Council of the District of Columbia takes these allegations very seriously as the safety and well-being of all children is now in question. We look forward to receiving your responses. Thank you, Vincent C. Gray January 25, 2010 Roque R. Gerald Director Gerald: In a recent article in the February issue of Fast Company magazine, Chancellor Michelle Rhee is quoted as saying that she utilized the October 2009 Reduction in Force to get “rid of teachers who had hit children, who had had sex with children, who had missed 78 days of school.” As Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, I find these claims alarming and deeply troubling. If these accusations are true, then we must act swiftly to ensure children are safe and perpetrators are investigated and brought to justice. If they are found to be untrue, then these accusations may devastate the lives of many of the teachers who were laid-off in the middle of a school year and who are struggling to rebuild their careers in the midst of a recession. My office is therefore launching an inquiry to determine whether the needs of children impacted by the alleged abuse were properly served and whether school communities and parents were properly notified and supported. The Council further intends to determine whether the District of Columbia Public Schools and the Metropolitan Police Department followed legally mandated procedures in reporting and responding to allegations of child abuse and sexual assault in our schools. As the first step in this inquiry, please respond to the following questions no later than Wednesday, January 27, 2010. 1. From June 1, 2007 to present, please list each instance where your department received a report from a District of Columbia Public Schools employee in which another employee, “had hit children [or] had had sex with children.” 2. Please detail all actions taken by your agency in response to each of the reports listed in Question One. 3. Please provide your agency’s protocol for responding to allegations of abuse or sexual misconduct by a teacher in a public school in the District of Columbia. The Council of the District of Columbia takes these allegations very seriously as the safety and well-being of all children is now in question. We look forward to receiving your responses. Thank you, Vincent C. Gray |
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