 
Officials mum on how Abington Heights pays
$5 million settlement
Published: April 16, 2010
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A day after news broke about a tentative $5 million settlement reached in a lawsuit filed by the families of seven autistic children abused by their teacher, Abington Heights officials were tight-lipped about details on how they would pay their share.
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Attorney Larry Moran, who represents the seven families, announced the tentative settlement Wednesday but refused to give details, as did attorneys for Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit and Abington Heights School District, both of which were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
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But at least one Abington Heights School Board member said she was told any money the district would have to pay would not come from taxpayers.
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The seven families filed the lawsuit claiming that the district and the educational unit ignored reports that former teacher Susan Wzorek, employed by the NEIU and working in a classroom at Clarks Summit Elementary, abused autistic students during the 2001-2002 school year.
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The lawsuit further claimed that teachers’ aides who reported Ms. Wzorek hitting, pinching and restraining students with bungee cords and duct tape were moved out of the district and did nothing to prevent the teacher from continuing to abuse the students. In 2005, Ms. Wzorek pleaded no contest to recklessly endangering another person and served a month of house arrest.
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Still unclear, however, is how much the NEIU, the school and Ms. Wzorek will end up paying, or where the money will come from. On Thursday, Abington Heights School District Superintendent Michael Mahon, Ph.D., said it was premature to discuss the settlement or how it would be paid. Both sides said an agreement is reached but it has not yet been signed by a judge.
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“We believe we have an obligation not to comment on this until the settlement is court-approved,” Dr. Mahon said. “Once it is approved, we will share information on any insurance question or money question we’re asked.”
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Dr. Mahon declined to comment on basic information about the school district’s insurance policy and whether it would cover some or all of their portion of the settlement’s payout.
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School board member Louise Brzuchalski said the board was kept up to date about the lawsuit but did not participate in mediation sessions.
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“All I was told was it wasn’t going to come from taxpayer money or any public money,” Ms. Brzuchalski said, adding that she had few details because the settlement has not been approved.
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Other school board members could not be reached for comment Thursday.
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Updated: Thursday, 15 Apr 2010, 6:43 PM CDT
Published : Thursday, 15 Apr 2010, 6:43 PM CDT
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HOUSTON – When budgets must be cut, someone always ends up a loser. In the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, parents of students with special needs claim their children are about to be shortchanged.
The district’s priorities have come into question after the Cy-Fair school board filled half of a $13 million budget hole by heeding the advice of consultants and slashing what it spends on special education.
The CFISD blames the cutbacks on a drastic reduction in funding from the state.
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“We are still going to be providing services to all our students. We haven’t cut services, we’ve changed the model,” said David Anthony, Cy-Fair ISD superintendent.
Parents of special needs students, accustomed to a program that spends nearly twice the state average, feel betrayed.
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“You can’t put someone in (the classroom) who doesn’t know autism and say ‘just teach this kid’. It’s just not going to happen,” said Laurie Gonzalez, the mother of a child with special needs.
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Most deeply impacted by the cuts is a successful strategy called “co-teach” which pairs special needs students with trained instructors within mainstream classrooms.
“Every hour that that special education teacher isn’t in there doing that is an hour my son is sitting in a classroom where maybe he will get it and maybe he won’t,” said Sarah Calhoun, mother of a boy with autism.
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Kelli Durham of Cy-Fair ISD contends that the district’s new special education method will be cheaper and better.
“It is actually a win-win the students are focused on. Their needs are addressed. They get services while the taxpayer gets their tax dollar maximized,” said Durham.
Many parents are angry that the district did not trim funding for sports to preserve money for special education.
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“Special education is a federal mandate. Athletic programs are not,” says Michelle Guppy, the mother of a boy with autism.
“They are discriminated against. They are not given a fair chance,” says Angela Wesley, the mother of a boy with Down Syndrome.
“My son’s education is less of a priority than an athletic program,” said Mary Ann Kerr, whose son is autistic.
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Durham says support for extracurricular activities took a financial hit in previous budget cutting years while funding for special education went untouched.
Laurie Gonzalez remains unconvinced.
“They are telling us our kids are second best.”
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Source:Â
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/education/100415-cypress-fairbanks-special-needs-students
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