.... in microcosm.

K an R

against the parents. What many people do not understand is that tenure will not save a teacher from
the wrath of the superintendent on down to Spec Ed Director...many go along.

The related services staff also can be intimidated by such tactics that some citizens would be
shocked over.

What is unique about this case, imo..1) you have a new hire spec ed director, who has been hired by the
board of Ed/Finance to be a shark. All the politics from these scoundrels at the top speaks to their
contempt for IDEA..that it takes place in a very wealthy community only makes it that more vile.

2) You have a spec ed director who is arrogant and or dumb enough to put her objectives
for a "united front" against the parents in a memo to her staff.

3) You have an SLP with a PhD working in your district and she will not tolerate nor compromise
herself..she leaks it.

Kaboom!

The investigation revealed the ugly side of special ed, the top tier in the town who disregard the law, because
of money.

snip*Illegal activity was confirmed by two state Department of Education reports and spurned a hiring spree by the Board of Education to fix the problems. After several years of budget overages in special education spending, pressure came from the Board of Finance to rein in expenses. Some say the problems came from a focus on money instead of education.

“There was a mindset in the central office that cutting costs was a priority and that the law was simply an inconvenience, and a matter of personal interpretation,” Pavia continued.

Many of the costs were attributed to children being placed in other schools at public expense. Finance board Chairman Liz Mao said that parents had been placing children in other schools and that Darien was paying the bills to avoid litigation against parents. Andrew Feinstein, an attorney who has represented parents throughout the special education debacle, disagreed, saying parents out-place because “Darien provides a lousy education to children with disabilities.”

Deirdre Osypuk was hired to replace Pavia. Trained as a psychologist, Osypuk noted in her employment application the need to cut services to maintain a 0% budget increase, which has been the demand placed on many school districts.

Osypuk remains on paid leave, where she has been since mid-June, having received a 1.7% raise on July 1. Falcone resigned on Oct. 22, just a week before a comprehensive special ed investigation is scheduled to be completed, and two weeks before a contested Board of Education election. The Board of Ed discussed Falcone’s performance for four hours the evening before Falcone sent a letter to district staff announcing his resignation.