NYC Teacher May Finally Lose Job After Multiple Charges Of Sexual Misconduct
September 6, 2012 at 2:37 pm by Morbid
NEW YORK – A 36-year-old NYC teacher may finally lose his job after being accused of a series of sexual misconduct incidents from several schools he worked for, as well as an educational department building.
Daniel Meagher first got himself into trouble in January when students reported seeing him looking at pornography in the library at Brooklyn’s Bedford Academy High School. Reportedly, investigators found the porn sites he had visited as well as several search terms he used, including “little child,” ”moaning child,” and ”small penis humiliation.”
Was he fired? Nope. While this allegation was being investigated, Meagher was transferred to PS 19 in Brooklyn as an English substitute teacher. In March, two girls, on separate occasions, reported walking into the girl’s bathroom and finding Meagher inside. One 10-year-old girl said Meagher told her he was “just checking the bathroom.” The girl left and told her teacher.
Was he fired? Nope. He was assigned to PS 17 as a substitute teacher. Within a week, the principal at that school reported that three female students, and the school’s parent coordinator, had seen Meagher in the girls’ bathroom at that school. Meagher explained to the school’s principal that the school safety agent had instructed him to empty the boy’s restroom but he’d accidentally went into the girl’s bathroom instead. However, he could not remember the school safety agent’s name.
Was he fired? Nope. He was transferred to the administrative office of the Children’s First Network where, in May, several employees and teachers accused Meagher of exposing himself to them. The report stated that Meagher had left his pants zipper open with his penis visible.
Was he fired? Nope. He remained at the Children’s First Network where, in June, several employees found Meagher in the children’s bathroom. Meagher did not have an explanation for why he was in there, and was reportedly seen flailing his arms and running through lanes of traffic outside the building later that same day.
Was Meagher fired? Nope. Just a bunch of talk about wanting to fire Meagher and why they are having problems doing so.
“We removed Mr. Meagher from the classroom in March and are seeking his termination,” Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott said in a statement. “Behavior like this is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it in our schools. This is an example of why it is imperative for new legislation that would give me the final determination on substantiated sexual misconduct cases.”
As it stands now, even if Walcott finds a teacher guilty of sexual misconduct, the accused’s fate is in the hands of independent arbitrators.
The Department of Education blames the contract they have with The United Federation of Teachers for their inability to fire teachers Walcott finds guilty of sexual misconduct. This new legislation Walcott is speaking of is legislation that would give him the ability to do just that. The United Federation of Teachers countered this would give Walcott the ability to fire teachers even if an independent arbitrator finds them innocent. Not that this latter point matters much, seeing as if the New York State Education Department hasn’t paid their arbitrators in years, and the 14 arbitrators who have stayed refuse to hear any further testimony on any teacher’s case until their wages have been paid in full.
Whatever the issue is, it echoes similar complaints from other cities regarding the inability to remove ineffective teachers, or teachers accused of criminal behavior. In the meantime, Meagher continues to receive $72,990 a year to not teach.
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