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Principal of Kinderland pre-school at centre of abuse allegations removed from post The Star Online
Jun 30: Teacher Lin Min allegedly forced a 23-month-old child at Kinderland Preschool @ Woodlands Mart to lie down and poured water into her mouth. Another teacher - Teacher B - was in the classroom during the incident.
Jul 29: Teacher B resigned. Described as a "newer teacher", she left Kinderland Woodlands Mart after three months.
Aug 10: ECDA launched its investigation after being alerted to the incidents by "a former employee". It did not say who the former employee was.
Aug 17: Kinderland said it was made aware of the videos when it was contacted by ECDA on Aug 17. Three staff members of the Woodlands Mart centre met ECDA and were shown the videos.
Aug 18: Another Kinderland staff member met ECDA and was shown the videos.
Kinderland headquarters started a disciplinary inquiry and met with Lin. The principal of Woodlands Mart and Lin contacted the parents of the affected children.
Aug 28: Videos emerge on social media of the incidents at Woodlands Mart preschool. Lin was arrested and she was fired.
Teacher B later told CNA she shared the videos with a group chat for mothers on Aug 28 after sharing them earlier with ECDA.
Aug 29: A new video surfaced on social media showing another teacher allegedly mistreating a child at the Kinderland preschool at Sunshine Place in Choa Chu Kang. The teacher is arrested. ECDA said it is investigating the latest case.
Kinderland said it will put in place new measures, including expanding the use of CCTVs to all classrooms at the two centres.
Aug 30: Lin is charged with ill-treating a child. The judge granted the prosecution's application for her to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health.
ECDA said it is investigating the roles of Kinderland and the Woodlands Mart centre leader in the incidents.
Kinderland Singapore separately announced that staff are banned from using personal devices at work.
Aug 31: Kinderland Singapore said the principal of the Woodlands Mart centre has been removed from her duties, pending the outcome of investigations into the cases.
Some parents, whose children were placed in the school where Lin worked, felt that Kinderland should do more to assure the parents.
One mother, who recently withdrew her child from the centre, acknowledged the school’s efforts to install CCTV cameras in all classrooms and activity centres.
“Kinderland should tell parents once this has been implemented, as it would give us the assurance that deterring (potential abuse cases) and ensuring students’ safety is important to them,” said the parent, who wanted to be known only as Ms S.
In the light of the alleged abuse, Ms S added that Kinderland could have been more proactive in engaging parents and answering their questions about the matter.
Another mother, who has two children at the school, said teachers should update parents on their children’s well-being in a timely manner, and parents should be given access to the pre-school’s CCTV cameras.
She is looking to pull the younger child out of the school, but will let the older one stay on. However, she is worried about the safety of the older child.
“Trust has been lost. Kinderland can salvage its poor reputation only by showing parents actions and proof,” she said.
ST is not naming the parents due to a gag order to protect the victim.
March 2020: Lin Min joins Kinderland.
June 27-30, 2023: A teacher, who in May 2023 joined the Kinderland pre-school where Lin Min works, films Lin’s alleged acts of abuse on the school’s children.
July 29: The teacher leaves Kinderland after resigning.
Aug 10: Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) begins investigating the alleged abuses.
Aug 17: ECDA contacts Kinderland for investigation. The school principal, Ms Mahirah Yasid, watches three alleged abuse videos taken by the teacher who had left in July, according to Kinderland Singapore general manager Seet Lee Kiang. Ms Mahirah informs the headquarters and a disciplinary inquiry is set up to look into Lin’s conduct.
Aug 17-18: Four employees from Lin’s workplace meet ECDA.
Aug 22: Lin receives a warning letter from Kinderland.
Aug 28: Videos of the alleged abuse emerge online. Mr Seet tells The Straits Times later that this is also when Kinderland’s management first watches the videos. The disciplinary inquiry is completed on the same day and Lin is dismissed.
Aug 29: Lin is arrested. Police later arrest another Kinderland teacher after a video showing alleged child abuse at Kinderland’s Sunshine Place branch in Choa Chu Kang begins spreading.
Aug 30: Lin is charged in court with ill-treating a child.
TEACHERS AT Seaforth High School in St Thomas are insisting that normalcy cannot be guaranteed at next week’s start of the new school year amid their continued disquiet over the dismissal of the principal.
Calbert Thomas, who served the school for 33 years but who was officially appointed principal in 2018, was dismissed this year after being sent on leave in January when financial irregularities were uncovered at the school.
The school’s bursar, Noel Williamson, was also sent on leave but has since been reinstated.
The education ministry conducted an investigation during which it uncovered a number of financial irregularities at the school, including the non-remittance of deductions.
There has been some amount of unease at the school since the principal was sent on leave, which has intensified with his dismissal.
Among the teachers and staff’s concerns are that no clear reason was given for his dismissal and, further, that Williamson was reinstated while Thomas was dismissed.
Two weeks ago, disgruntled teachers, parents, and students staged a protest, calling for the principal to be returned to the helm of the school. The teachers had also warned then that a smooth opening would not be guaranteed if the principal remained off the job.
A meeting was held yesterday at the school with the staff, personnel from the Ministry of Education and Youth Region One, and members of the school board.
However, according to one of the concerned teachers, the board members and the ministry were unable to explain why the principal was dismissed, claiming the matter was now before the court.
“From my perspective, I don’t think the meeting was very fruitful because we still have a lot of unanswered questions,” the teacher stated. “All they are saying is that they found financial irregularities, but the media is saying none was found, so I don’t know where the misleading information is coming from.”
But the teacher, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, who are clamouring for Thomas’ return, said, “As you heard from the last protest, no Mr T, no school. So come Monday, we can’t promise normalcy at Seaforth High.”
Meanwhile, Thomas, whose dismissal becomes effective on September 30, is maintaining that he was unjustly dismissed while insisting that there is a personal vendetta against him by the school board.
“I would have had one of the best records at the school as principal, even at present when I am seeing the results for students who would have gone through COVID. Those students would have done very well in their exams,” he said.
According to Thomas, he has much more to contribute to the school ,but in the meantime, he is concerned about the state of indiscipline at the school and how students are being treated and the number of students being transferred since his suspension.
According to him, indiscipline is at its lowest and students have been turning up at his home to complain and to enquire about his return.
Thomas also claimed that parents of more than 200 students have sought transfers while several other students have been sent on suspension.
However, the school board chairman, Dean Jones, said he was not aware of any issue with students seeking transfer. While indicating that he was aware of everything that was happening at the school, he said he did not wish to comment on the matter of student suspension. He also declined to comment on the principal’s dismissal.
As it relates to the promise by teachers that there may be some disruption come Monday, he said there are contingencies in place.
Thomas, since his dismissal, has taken legal action and is seeking a judicial review of the board’s decision to relieve him of his job. The matter is currently before the Supreme Court.
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Rocky River High principal resigns days before school begins Charlotte Observer[unable to retrieve full-text content]
Investigation: Race not factor in use of McAuliffe seclusion room 9News.com KUSA
Natalie Guimond-LowArticle continues below advertisement ↴
École Arthur Meighen is looking forward to the start of this year's school term as it moves into French only, or en Français, following the transition in the Portage School Division.
Vice Principal Natalie Guimond-Low left École Crescentview School where she was recently been installed as Vice Principal, and she's being transferred with that same position along with Crescentview's principal Tracy Vanstone who is also retaining her role at the same school. She notes she's actually coming back to her former place of employment.
"I worked here for many years as a teacher from Grade 5 to Grade 8, and then I was here as an instructional coach," says Guimond-Low. "It feels like I'm coming home. I know the school well and I'm just looking forward to working with some of the staff that I've already worked with in this building, as well as the staff that I worked with last year. We're all coming together."
Guimond-Low explains they're thrilled to do their announcements and assemblies in French.
"We're excited to really grow our school climate in French," continues Guimond-Low. "We'll be using our French more during recess, and in the hallways. We're going to have so many opportunities to develop ourselves professionally in French and really work on those French skills. It can be challenging when the environment is primarily in English because we really need to work on building an environment where we all get to practice together. That's not easy when the first language in our community is English. So, we have to build opportunities amongst ourselves to practice."
In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.
The principal of a Hamilton Mountain high school is warning families of potential protests and media attention this fall with the hiring of a new teacher.
Last week, Nora Frances Henderson Secondary School principal Tom Fisher sent a letter to parents and guardians warning them that the Upper Sherman Avenue school may receive “some level of public attention” as a result of a teacher joining their staff.
A well-known principal at one of Perth’s top private schools, who has worked in the education sector for almost three decades, has suddenly resigned after nearly five years in the role.
Perth College will now launch an executive recruitment campaign for a new principal, after School Council Chair Vikki De Alwis informed staff and students on Thursday that Helen Aguiar was stepping down immediately to focus on her health and family.
Well-known principal Helen Aguiar has resigned after nearly five years in the role.Credit: Facebook/ Supplied
“During her tenure Helen led our school through the COVID-19 pandemic and was instrumental in the delivery of a range of initiatives including Sparc, our Junior School STEM Program and our Sports Development and Performance Program,” De Alwis said.
“We thank Helen for the significant contribution she has made to our school and wish her good health, happiness and future success.”
She said Vice Principal Clare Johansen would now take on the role of Acting Principal while a professional recruitment process took place.
“Finding our next Principal will now form part of the overall strategic review of Perth College which is underway,” she said.
“We are focussed on strengthening our educational offering and ensuring we are the benchmark for private girls’ school education in Western Australia.”
Aguiar was well known for her stance on ATAR exams, and that results should be about achieving personal bests rather than competing against others.
“The notion of ‘success’ is a personal measure, unique to each individual, and that our students strive to achieve their personal bests in a range of fields and through various pathways,” she told WAtoday after 2022 results were released.
Rocky River High School principal Kwame Stith resigned days before school starts, according to a message sent to families.
Stith turned in his resignation effective immediately, Kim Schroeder, the learning community superintendent for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Southeast Learning Community, told families in a Friday email. She thanked Stith for his leadership and service while serving at Rocky River High, a school in Mint Hill.
No reason was given for his resignation. CMS’ first day of class is Monday.
Janice Davidson, a retired principal, will become the interim principal.
“I want to assure you that our top priority is to ensure a smooth transition for both students and staff during this period of adjustment,” Schroeder wrote. “Mrs. Davidson is an experienced educator who has served in several interim positions since her retirement from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.”
Stith started at Rocky River High School as an assistant principal in October of 2015 before becoming principal in September of 2021, according to his LinkedIn page. Prior to CMS, Stith worked as a dean of students at Cochrane Collegiate Academy.
Earlier this month, Rocky River High made news when a 33-year-old former English teacher was charged with indecent liberties and sexual activity with a student. Maria Heyliger was an English teacher at Rocky River High beginning Jan. 24, 2022, according to CMS. She resigned this summer.
Mecklenburg County Jail records show Heyliger was charged with two counts each of indecent liberties with a student and sexual activity with a student.
It is unknown if the case is related to Stith’s resignation.
Dear colleagues,
There’s no doubt that these past weeks have been trying for all of us. That said, I’m incredibly encouraged by the real progress being made in the community now that many evacuation orders have been lifted.
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The outside of Weber High School in Pleasant View is pictured Monday, Jan. 17, 2022.
Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner
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Weber High School principal Chris Earnest.
Photo supplied, Weber School District
Weber High School principal Chris Earnest was put on paid administrative leave last week and remained out as of Friday while the Weber School District looks into unspecified complaints involving her.
Earnest was put on leave Aug. 16, according to WSD spokesperson Lane Findlay. Weber High’s first day of school was on Wednesday.
“Officials at Weber School District are currently looking into complaints related to the performance of Chris Earnest in her duties as principal of Weber High School. As standard procedure, Ms. Earnest has been placed on paid administrative leave during this process. Since this is an active investigation and no determination has been made, the district is not releasing additional information at this time,” reads a district statement issued Friday.
Earnest was named principal of Weber High in April 2018, after previously being principal at Orion Junior High. She previously taught at South Ogden Junior High for 19 years.
Typically when a complaint comes to the district level about an employee, it’s standard procedure for the district to place the employee on administrative leave, but it does depend on the nature of the complaint, according to Findlay.
Assistant principal Ryan Kachold, one of three assistant principals assigned to WHS, is the acting “building administrator” at the school.
Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.
MILWAUKEE -- Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio expressed optimism about the status of negotiations involving renovations to American Family Field and indicated Saturday he wants to make sure the team stays in Milwaukee.
The Brewers have called American Family Field home since 2001 and have a lease that expires in 2030. State Democrats and Republicans have been debating on stadium renovation funding plans for several months.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, proposed a plan in which the state would spend $290 million in repairs and the Brewers would extend their lease by 13 years, through 2043. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said that plan wouldn't work and indicated he wanted to come up with a deal that included a longer commitment from the Brewers to remain in Milwaukee.
"I'm optimistic," Attanasio said from American Family Field before the Saturday's game with San Diego. "We just have to get the three constituencies - which would be the governor, the Assembly and the Senate - to come together."
Attanasio believes they can eventually reach a consensus.
"We have very good chemistry with the politicians in terms of having a shared goal," Attanasio said. "The goal is to keep the team here for another generation, whether that's 2040, or now frankly they are talking about 2050, which (is) great by me."
The Brewers' lease calls for the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District to cover repairs. Evers and the team have said the district does not have enough money to pay for what is needed. Evers' proposal suggested funding the repairs through a one-time cash payment from a projected $7 million state budget surplus.
"We very much want to stay here," Attanasio said. "That's all I've considered at this point. We have to face the reality that while this ballpark, it's beautiful, the infrastructure is 20-plus years old. Even the scoreboard, which is great, the parts get obsolete so fast. The simple fact is the district is going to run out of money in the next couple of years. We're trying to address the future of the ballpark before it runs out of money, and not in a band-aid kind of way."
Arjun Sharma
Jammu, August 26
Protest demonstrations rocked the Bani area of Kathua district in Jammu division after a student of class 10 of a government school was beaten up by a teacher and principal for allegedly writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on his classroom board.
Officials said the student of Higher Secondary School, Bani, was admitted to the hospital for internal injuries after he was beaten up by his Urdu teacher Farooq Ahmed and principal Mohammad Hafiz on Friday for allegedly writing the religious slogan on the board.
As per a teacher of the school, Ahmed started thrashing the student mercilessly after finding the religious slogan on the classroom board and took him to the principal who also allegedly beat up him.
The student comes from an underprivileged family and was admitted to the hospital by his father on Saturday morning. Both the accused were booked by the Bani police under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (Criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act (assault on child).
Arjun Magotra, Station House Officer (SHO) at Bani, said an FIR has been registered against Farooq Ahmed and Mohammad Hafiz for assaulting a minor. “Investigation is going on at present and the accused will be arrested soon” he said.
Protest demonstrations by different groups broke out in Bani and Basohli areas of Kathua against the incident.
Sensing the situation turning communal as many Hindu organisations started protests against the incident, Kathua Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Minhas constituted an inquiry committee. Three officials —Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Bani, Deputy Chief Education Officer Kahua and Principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Kharote, will be part of the panel.
SDM Satish Sharma told Tribune that the incident took place on Friday and the student was admitted to the hospital on Saturday morning after his family found him wounded. “The student had written ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on his class board after which he was beaten up by the teacher and principal. There are internal injuries on the body of the student which are being treated,” he said. The inquiry committee will submit its report in two days.
District Development Council members, sarpanches and students protested and demanded stern action against the two accused.
Parents at Stevens Elementary School in Houston ISD found out this week their well-loved principal will no longer be there. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle spoke with a parent and has more on their concerns.
HOUSTON - There are more last-minute changes happening at Houston ISD schools just days away from the school bell ringing on August 28.
Parents at Stevens Elementary School in the Oak Forest area found out this week their well-loved principal will no longer be there.
SUGGESTED: Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles backs off educator gag order
Adam Chaney, a member of the school's parent organization (PTCO), tells FOX 26 that parents were told on August 21, Principal Erin Trent would be taking some extended leave until November. Two days later, they receive a call with a recorded message.
FOX 26 has obtained audio of the phone call made to parents informing them of the change of leadership at Stevens Elementary School.
"This is intended to inform you that Erin Trent was informed that she will no longer serve as the principal of Stevens Elementary. We know families and students are preparing for the start of the school year and this change may feel abrupt, but it has become clear that this change is necessary to ensure Steven’s Elementary students start the year off well with access to high-quality instruction on day one that meets their needs and supports increased academic outcomes on the campus."
Chaney tells FOX 26 he was shocked and frustrated at the call.
"Meet the Teacher is Friday morning," said Chaney. "Erin Trent usually brings donuts and coffee, answers questions, and gets to know new parents. She's present and hypes up the kids. I have no idea what's about to happen."
Photo of Stevens Elementary principal, Erin Trent (HISD website photo)
Teachers at the school were also shocked at the news after receiving the same message.
The audio also stated, "Stevens Elementary will be led by Division staff and the Assistant Principal until a new leader can be selected. We will share updates as soon as we select a new school leader. We have every confidence that students and staff at Stevens Elementary will rise to the challenge and start the year well next Monday."
Chaney has reached out to the district for an explanation of the new "division." FOX 26 also asked HISD's press office about the matter and waiting to get a response.
A district spokesperson stated due to the principal change being an ongoing personnel matter, the office declined to comment.
"I've heard nothing. How can we not think this is related to the rest of the chaos that's happening in the district? Was it an isolated incident? If she needed to be fired, then why? If it's a good reason, I can live with that," Chaney said.
According to the HISD website, Erin Trent arrived at Stevens in 2019. Chaney says since Trent's arrival, the school's performance score has improved from a D to a B.
Former HISD Trustee Ann Sung says reassignments with principals often happen, but the methods used during this administration are different from those in past years.
"Usually in HISD, principal turnover happens in June or July. That's the normal time for reassignment," said Sung. "August, or days before the start of the school year, is highly unusual. It doesn't seem like a situation where the principal has done something egregious or unlawful. It sounds more like a disagreement between the school and the principal."
Reassigning principals is the right of the Superintendent in HISD, but parents like Chaney are hoping for answers at a school that seemed to be progressing before the state takeover.
Sung also said in previous trustee boards, leaders would ask the Superintendent about the abrupt change.
"Sometimes it's unlawful and even if that person's popular, there needs to be a change. If it's just a different philosophy, sometimes the board can push back," she said. "The changes affected communities, and we saw that scores at schools and the culture did not improve. The Superintendents in the last seven years have tried to make sure they find the right person and tried to keep those leaders in place."
Despite the last-minute changes, Chaney says parents at the school will still show their support for whoever will be put in place to lead. His full statement on behalf of the Parent Teacher Community Organization:
"My name is Adam Chaney, and I am the parent of a second grader at Stevens Elementary School. My daughter just graduated from the fifth grade at Stevens last semester. I currently serve as the Parliamentarian on the Steven’s Parent Teacher Community Organization (PTCO) and I have been actively involved in supporting the campus faculty and staff for five years.
On Monday, August 21, the faculty and staff of Stevens Elementary were informed that our principal, Mrs. Erin Trent, was taking a leave of absence. This information was then communicated to the PTCO and the Stevens community. At that time we were assured that Principal Trent would return to campus after her leave. As well, we were informed that our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Williams would be stepping into the leadership gap during the semester. Despite a bit of anxiety and surprise, we felt a sense of relief and encouragement from leaders in the campus administration that everything was stable. Erin Trent is an incredible leader, and her administration is responsible for dramatically increasing the quality of education and student support at Stevens. In fact, last year, the school’s rating was increased from a D to a B as a direct result of her administration.
This morning, Wednesday, August 23, every Stevens parent, received an automated phone call from HISD which said:
"This is an important message from the Houston Independent School District. This is intended to inform you that Erin Trent was informed that she will no longer serve as the principal of Stevens Elementary. We know families and students are preparing for the start of the school year and this change may feel abrupt. But, it has become clear that this change is necessary to ensure Steven’s Elementary students start the year off well with access to high-quality instruction on day one that meets their needs and supports increased academic outcomes on the campus. Stevens Elementary will be led by Division staff and the Assistant Principle until a new leader can be selected. We will share updates as soon as we select a new school leader. We have every confidence that students and staff at Steven’s Elementary will rise to the challenge and start the year well next Monday."
This unexpected and impersonal communication from the district caused immediate anxiety, confusion, and fear. Indeed, this change does "feel abrupt." The PTCO immediately sprang into action contacting Stevens faculty and staff while fielding countless correspondence from parents and community members. Unfortunately, the faculty, staff, and administration at Stevens were just as surprised as the parents. Once again, just two days ago, Mrs. Trent told the faculty she was taking leave, not resigning, and certainly not being terminated. It is the understanding of the Stevens community that Mrs. Trent is still the school principal. However, the vague and confusing message from HISD’s automated system indicates facts to the contrary.
I have personally reached out to "Division staff and the Assistant Principal" in accordance with the details shared in the automated call. The Stevens Assistant Principal is just as confused and in the dark. I attempted to contact Mr. Jacob Johnson, HISD North Division Executive Director, and Mr. Orlando Riddick, HISD North Division Superintendent. Unfortunately, there is no way to contact them directly through district communication channels such as an email address or office phone. I eventually found a very helpful employee in HISD Human Resources who relayed my request for clarification to the North Division office, apparently through internal Microsoft Teams. No one on the PTCO or Stevens staff has received direct communication or clarification from the North Division office.
Stevens Elementary Meet the Teacher is this Friday Morning and, of course, the first day of school is this coming Monday. Our community deserves clarification immediately! It is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid interpreting this chaotic situation through the lens of the controversial state takeover. The TEA has already disenfranchised us by removing our democratically elected school board and Superintendent. Many Stevens community members cannot help but wonder if this is a backhanded way of forcing our campus to become NES-aligned. We know very well that Principal Trent did not opt into the NES alignment, which creates worry that the district is retaliating against her for not conforming to the NES. We are less than a week from the start of school, and we demand clarification and transparency from the North Division immediately!
- Adam Chaney, Stevens Elementary Parent & PTCO Parliamentarian"
DUPAGE COUNTY - A suburban high school student has been charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly threatening to shoot his principal in the head.
On Thursday, prosecutors say 18-year-old Zachary Kurzeja, of Carol Stream, was at Glenbard North High School when he made an alarming comment to another individual.
He allegedly said, "Hey man, if you heard someone shot at principal at the head, don’t look at me."
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The matter was investigated and Kurzeja was taken into custody later in the day.
Zachary Kurzeja | Provided
"With the school year just beginning, I want to remind everyone that my office takes any threat of violence aimed at a school very seriously and anyone suspected of making such a threat will be investigated and charged accordingly," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said.
Kurzeja appeared in court Friday morning and was given a bond of $250,000.
"It’s imperative that our children have a safe learning environment free from threats of violence," Carol Stream Chief of Police William Holmer said. "We can’t afford to take these incidents lightly, and we will do everything we can to maintain the safety of the students and staff in our schools."
It was not announced when Kurzeja was next due in court.
A preliminary hearing is set in September for longtime Bay High School Principal Amy Yarborough Necaise on a misdemeanor charge of shoplifting.
Necaise is out of jail on a $500 bond after turning herself in at the Waveland Police Department on Tuesday.
The arrest came after a Walmart employee went to the police station and signed an affidavit accusing the longtime school administrator of the theft.
The Sun Herald filed a records to obtain the affidavit, which accuses Necaise of stealing items valued at $123.66 on Sunday at the Highway 90 business.
The document does not identify the items allegedly stolen.
The alleged crime occurred while Necaise was using the store’s self-checkout and didn’t scan items she left with, Waveland Police Chief Mike Prendergast said.
Video cameras at the Walmart stores capture footage of shoppers using self-checkout to scan and pay for items.
It has become common, Predergast said, for Walmart to file anywhere from 30 to 35 shoplifting complaints a month in the city, most of which involve shoppers allegedly stealing items during self-checkout..
Meanwhile, Necaise is free on a $500 misdemeanor bond is set to return to Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 26.
Necaise, who could not be reached for comment, has remained on the job since her arrest.
Bay-Waveland School Superintendent Sandra Reed has declined to comment.
On Thursday, the Sun Herald spoke briefly spoke to Casey Farve, president of the Bay-Waveland School Board, to find out if there were plans to address the matter.
“It’s my understand that this remains under investigation,” Farve said, “and we cannot comment related to the personnel matter at this time.”
In addition to serving as Bay High principal since 2013, Necaise previously served in the same capacity at Waveland Elementary School. She also held other jobs in the district over the years.
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Denver School Board Upholds Firing of Principal Who Expressed Safety Concerns in TV Interview National Review
Malka Leifer, extradited from Israel after a lengthy process, was found guilty in April of sexually abusing two students decades earlier.
The former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish girls’ school in Australia was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in jail for sexually abusing two students more than a decade ago.
The sentencing, in a Melbourne court, concluded a yearslong fight for justice for her accusers and a case whose protracted extradition battle strained relations between Australia and Israel and caused an Israeli lawmaker to resign.
In April, a jury found the principal, Malka Leifer, guilty of 18 counts of sexual abuse, including rape, and sexual penetration and indecent assault of a 16- or 17-year-old. She was acquitted on nine charges, including rape and indecent assault.
The charges, to which Ms. Leifer pleaded not guilty, spanned from 2003 to 2007, when she was principal of the Adass Israel School in Melbourne. Prosecutors said that the sexual abuse, which occurred at the school, on school camping trips and at Ms. Leifer’s house, began when the girls were students and continued when they became student teachers.
The accusations were brought by three sisters. The guilty verdicts related to two of the sisters, Dassi Erlich, 35, and Elly Sapper, 34. The not guilty verdicts related to Ms. Erlich and the third sister, Nicole Meyer, 37.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Mark Gamble said that Ms. Leifer had engaged in “predatory behavior” against Ms. Erlich and Ms. Sapper and used her position of authority and influence in the local Jewish community to enable her abuse. She showed “no remorse,” he said.
The sentence, for which Ms. Leifer will be eligible for parole after 11½ years, will count the five years or so she has already spent in custody in Israel and Australia as time served, he said. That makes Ms. Leifer eligible for parole in June 2029.
Ms. Leifer, 56, fled to Israel when allegations against her first came to light in 2008. She was arrested there in 2014 at Australia’s request. The three sisters campaigned for her to be extradited to Australia, but the process was delayed several times after she claimed to have mental health difficulties and was found by Israeli psychiatrists to be unfit to stand trial.
An investigation by the Israeli police concluded that she was faking her mental distress, and in 2020 an Israeli court ruled that she was eligible for extradition. She was returned to Australia the following year and stood trial in 2022.
Last year, an Israeli lawmaker, Yaakov Litzman, resigned from Parliament and was sentenced to an eight-month suspended jail sentence over accusations that he had used his position to pressure psychiatrists to deem Ms. Leifer unfit to stand trial.
On Thursday, local news media reported that Ms. Leifer, who watched the sentencing virtually from a Melbourne women’s prison, shed a tear as the sentence was read out.
Outside court, the three sisters celebrated the sentence, which Ms. Sapper said “recognizes the harm and pain that Malka Leifer caused each one of us to suffer over so many years.”
“This has been one of the most traumatizing, destabilizing and awful, painful paths to justice,” Ms. Erlich said, “but today really marks the end of this chapter of our lives and opens the chapter to us healing.”
The principal and a teacher at a Flagler County, Florida, elementary school are on paid administrative leave after an assembly was held only for fourth and fifth-grade Black students, who were collectively told to improve their school performance, according to the school district – regardless of how each student was doing individually.
The two school staffers were placed on leave days after the assembly was held at Bunnell Elementary School on August 18. Only African American students from the two grades participated, Flagler County Schools spokesperson Jason Wheeler told CNN.
During the assembly, a 2023-2024 school year Goals and Objectives PowerPoint presentation was used that read in part, “AA have underperform (sic) on standardized assessment for the last past 3 years,” Flagler County School Board chair Cheryl Massaro told CNN in an email.
“AA is African American, and that is one subgroup the FDOE requires annual reporting on from all Florida schools. The power point, created by one of the presenters shows the data results,” Massaro said in the email.
Flagler Schools interim superintendent Lashakia Moore said in a news conference Thursday, “This should not have happened, but it did,” and offered an apology to the students and their families.
“We make no excuses of what happened, we offer our apology, and we offer actionable actions for us to move forward in supporting our students, supporting our schools and supporting this community,” she said.
“It is my responsibility to identify ‘why did this happen?’ We do have an investigation that is ongoing at this time, and we will continue to move forward as we get additional information at the conclusion of the investigation.”
Moore has spoken with the majority of families who have been impacted, she said.
“We have either spoken face-to-face or on the phone,” she said, adding that parents were “upset, concerned as to how and why it happened, but the majority of families that I spoke with their end conversation was ‘what do we do now, how do we work together as a community which is inclusive of our families, how do we work together in order to ensure that we are never in this place again?’”
In the past, chats about performance were discussed with students at an individual level or at parent-teacher conferences, Moore said.
“We want to definitely ensure that our students know where they are performing. We put procedures and strategies and interventions in place for those students to be successful,” Moore said.
On Tuesday, Moore said she spoke with Bunnell Elementary Principal Donelle Evensen and they “have been able to talk about what led to this assembly and steps that were or were not taken before or after it.”
“In speaking with Mrs. Evensen, it is clear there was no malice intended in planning this student outreach. However, sometimes, when you try to think ‘outside the box,’ you forget why the box is there.
“While the desire to help this particular subgroup of students is to be commended, how this was done does not meet the expectations we desire among Flagler Schools. We want our parents and guardians to actively participate in their children’s educational successes. Without informing them of this assembly or of the plans to raise these scores, our parents were not properly engaged.”
CNN has reached out to Evensen for comment.
CNN’s Amanda Jackson, Melissa Alonso, Sara Smart, Jillian Sykes and Michelle Watson contributed to this report.
On Thursday, during his sentencing in Perth District Court, Harris’ lawyer painted the 54-year-old as a sad, lonely man who, despite being a successful teacher, became depressed and was isolated socially when he was not working.
“For several years prior to the offending Mr Harris retreated into an alternative online world,” his lawyer told the court.
“He became isolated. He was performing his duties well as a principal, but his private life was isolated. His entire romantic activity was through online with adult females online.
“He was having anonymous conversations with adult females.”
The court heard Harris was online on January 1 looking for the same sort of conversation but “clicked on an anonymous name”.
“It became apparent that this girl was 14 years of age, and he chose to proceed,” his lawyer said.
“He regrets that decision.”
In sentencing Harris, Judge Linda Black took into consideration the publicity his offending had attracted but said she would struggle to give him a discount on his sentence.
She did, however, tell Harris she felt “incredibly sorry” for him and that while she felt he had turned his life around since his arrest in January, a term of imprisonment was the only outcome for such offending.
“This is a case where punishment is important, but also a strong message needs to be sent out to the community that no matter who you are, what you do or where you live, if you offend against children, you will feel the full force of the law,” she said.
“I feel incredibly sorry for you but I have an obligation to keep our community safe.”
Harris was sentenced to 12 months in prison and will be eligible for parole in six months.
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An Israeli former principal will spend up to 15 years in jail for sexually assaulting two students at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Australia.
Malka Leifer raped and indecently assaulted sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper between 2003 and 2007, a jury found in April.
The 56-year-old was found not guilty of abusing a third sister, Nicole Meyer.
Leifer's sentencing ends a 15-year push for the mother-of-eight to face justice.
She had pleaded not guilty to more than two dozen charges and spent years fighting extradition from Israel. But in 2021, an Israeli judge found she had faked mental illness to avoid facing the courts and ordered she be sent to Melbourne.
During a lengthy trial, the jury heard evidence that Leifer had abused the sisters in locked classrooms, on school camps, and at the head teacher's home.
Detailing the 18 charges on Thursday, judge Mark Gamble called her offending "insidious".
Leifer was a revered figure at the Adass Israel School, awed almost like a rabbi, he said. And the sisters were starved of love and in need of protection - emotionally and physically abused at home by their mother and completely uneducated about sex.
"This case is striking for just how vulnerable these victims were, and for the calculating way in which the offender, Mrs Leifer, took callous advantage... for her own perverse sexual gratification," the judge said.
Addressing "powerful" victim impact statements from Ms Sapper and Ms Erlich in which they spoke about lasting feelings of guilt, shame and fear, Judge Gamble stressed they were "completely innocent" of the "predatory behaviour" of Leifer.
"It is she and she alone who should feel guilty and ashamed for what occurred."
Considering the time she has already served in prison, Leifer will be eligible for parole in June 2029.
Speaking alongside her sisters outside court, Ms Erlich said the sentence was the end of a long and traumatic chapter of their lives.
"We are here today because we did not give up," she said.
"And while we know that the onus of fighting for justice should not be up to survivors, this fight was never just for us.
"To any other survivors in this nightmare: you are never alone, we are all behind you."
Now Leifer's trial has concluded, police have reopened an investigation into her attempts to evade justice.
The headteacher fled to Israel in 2008 after accusations were raised against her, reportedly with the help of members of the school board. She was arrested at Australia's request in 2014, but two years later an Israeli court suspended her extradition, ruling her to be mentally unfit for trial.
But undercover private investigators later filmed her shopping and depositing a cheque at a bank, leading Israeli authorities to investigate and re-arrest her in February 2018. A judge there said she had been "impersonating someone with mental illness".
We've just received a statement from the Adass Israel School, where Leifer was principal as she carried out her "insidious" offending.
"Today Mrs Malka Leifer was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment after being found guilty of 18 sexual abuse offences.
Mrs Leifer was employed by Adass Israel School from 2001 to 2008.
Her offending was a gross and complete breach of trust and it is our hope that today's sentencing provides a sense of justice for the survivors and helps them to heal.
The abuse suffered by the survivors is completely unacceptable.
On behalf of Adass Israel School, we apologise to the survivors abused by Mrs Leifer, for the distress they have suffered and the impact of that abuse on their lives and families.
The school has made professional counselling available on a free and strictly confidential basis to any member of our community who wishes to access it.
The safety and wellbeing of students remain our highest priorities and we have zero tolerance for abuse of any kind.
As a registered Victorian school, Adass Israel School is compliant with the Child Safe Standards, particularly regarding responding to, and reporting, allegations of suspected child abuse."
(WXYZ) — In the wake of a 7 Action News investigation, an Ann Arbor elementary school principal has been placed on leave, according to an email sent to parents. The 7 Investigators first showed you how a bus aide was caught on video assaulting a special needs 7-year-old child on a school bus. The child attended Carpenter Elementary, and a lawsuit against the district alleges the school principal and others in the district knew about the assault for 5 weeks before the child’s mother was told.
The bus aide was recently criminally convicted of 4th degree child abuse.
Late Monday, an email was sent to Carpenter Elementary families that says Principal Michael Johnson is on leave and will be absent from the school as students head back to class next week. Johnson, the school district, and bus company Durham Transportation are all named in the lawsuit.
The email about the leave to parents from Superintendent Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift says, “We understand that our parents may have questions, and while we are uncertain of any specific timelines, we will, as always, continue to keep you updated as allowed.”
The email says “Ms. Crystal Fluker, an experienced AAPS school leader with strong ties in our Ann Arbor community, will serve as Interim Principal at Carpenter.”
Superintendent Swift has come under fire since the 7 Investigators first aired the story about the bus assault on July 27. The story prompted a group of nearly 100 parents to send a letter to the Superintendent, demanding her resignation for this incident and other issues. The letter states “many of our special education families have not felt safe in our district for some time.” The letter also references allegations of “a racially hostile environment in our schools” and concerns about “an overall lack of leadership in addressing in antisemitic incidents.”
On August 7, the Ann Arbor School Board voted 4-3 to send the superintendent a pre-termination notice that’s required by her contract. They also voted to allow their attorney to enter into negotiations for a separation agreement with Dr. Swift. No decision on Swift’s employment status has been made, according to board members.
“Based on the concerns, based on what I’ve heard, there should be a change in leadership,” said AAPS board president Rima Mohammad at the August 7 meeting.
The board meets Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The meeting has moved to Skyline High School to accommodate an expected large crowd.
Last month, the AAPS Director of Communications issued this statement about the bus incident:
"The safety of students and staff is always the top priority of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Staff at Carpenter Elementary and the transportation team followed appropriate procedures in responding to this unfortunate incident. AAPS and Durham Transportation team removed the offending individual from duty on the day the incident was observed on the video and contacted Child Protective Services immediately. There was no delay in removing the individual from duty, and AAPS and Durham teams dutifully followed through on this case up to and including a member of the Durham staff testifying at a hearing in recent weeks.”
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