A Lengthy Island college did nothing whereas an ex-teacher “tormented” particular wants second graders with abuse that included dropping textbooks on their heads, in keeping with a brand new authorized submitting and distraught dad and mom.
Former Cornwall College instructor John O’Dwyer allegedly abused one terrified boy, dragged him throughout the classroom and even locked him in a darkish closet whereas he screamed for assist, a $20 million discover of declare filed Tuesday stated.
The declare — a precursor to a civil lawsuit in opposition to a municipal company — alleges that the varsity not solely “failed to stop” O’Dwyer’s habits however have been informed of the abuse and “but did nothing about it.”
Within the first of numerous claims to be filed in opposition to the West Hempstead Union Free College District and Cornwell College, one household stated O’Dwyer singled out their son “for humiliating abuse” and subjected him to bodily and psychological “torment,” together with kicking and punching him.
“The abuse — each bodily and psychological — inflicted on these particular wants youngsters in second grade at Cornwell Avenue Elementary is each guardian’s worst nightmare,” stated Nathan Werksman, a associate at Merson Regulation, PLLC. “By these circumstances, we’ll uncover the complete fact of what occurred — and expose how the West Hempstead Union Free College District allowed this cruelty to proceed for therefore lengthy.”
O’Dwyer didn’t instantly reply to a message left at a quantity related to him.
The mother who filed the discover of declare stated her special-needs son informed her the alleged abuse occurred frequently throughout the 2023-2024 college yr. He was routinely held again on the finish of the varsity day to be launched final after the opposite college students left, the mother claimed.
“When the instructor can be alone within the room with him, he would drag him by the hand and put him in a darkish closet,” recalled the mom, who requested to stay nameless.
“My son was screaming and banging and kicking the door,” she informed The Submit in an unique interview. “He saved saying to us: ‘I don’t wish to be alone with the instructor, I don’t wish to be alone with the instructor,’ and we didn’t perceive that.”
The varsity stated he was misbehaving, and the instructor blamed his treatment, in keeping with the mother.
“If solely I knew again then what it meant,” she added. “He simply was scared to be alone, as a result of he knew what would occur.”
However, the submitting claims, the varsity knew all alongside.
An assistant instructor was “current for a lot of the abuse” and the varsity “ignored complaints about O’Dwyer’s habits,” in keeping with the declare.
The household solely found the abuse after one other guardian earlier this yr informed them the varsity despatched a letter to all present households, telling them O’Dwyer had been dismissed and that there was an energetic investigation.
“My family by no means obtained that letter as a result of my son not attends the varsity,” the dad defined.
News12 first reported on the distressing letter again in March.
A message left with the varsity searching for remark and affirmation was not instantly returned.
Nassau police confirmed the varsity had known as authorities and there was a criticism on file.
In the meantime the daddy of the allegedly abused child stated he has heard the expertise wasn’t distinctive — and now a number of different households are additionally planning on authorized motion.
“We acknowledged that there’s rather more occurring right here,” he stated.
One other of these victims is the daughter of an NYPD cop with 20 years on the job.
He stated the varsity district was a “shame… as a human being, it’s actually disheartening.”
The cop, who additionally requested for anonymity, stated O’Dwyer would take a textual content e book — “like a heavy, old-school textual content e book” — and throw or drop it on college students’ heads.
He’s fearful that the trauma may have an effect on his daughter’s curiosity in studying, and that she’s “scared to be taught and take part in class, as a result of, once more, when you bought one thing unsuitable, the instructor would come over and hit you on high of the pinnacle.”
“It’s actually disgusting that the varsity swept this beneath the rug,” he informed The Submit.
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