Editorial: Remove teachers facing charges

The decision to allow two Westport, Mass., teachers charged with multiple felonies against a child to continue teaching is irresponsible and potentially dangerous to students and the town. They should both be removed from the classroom immediately, pending the outcome of the charges against them.

Teacher Renee Rego, 47, of 91 Horton St., Fall River, Mass., is being charged with caretaker who permits or commits an assault and battery, and mistreatment of a disabled person. Assistant teacher Linda Liberty, 46, of 9 Sylvania St., Westport, is facing two counts of simple assault and battery on a disabled child. All charges are felonies.

The accusations stem from a substitute teacher's account of the alleged abuse of an autistic boy at Macomber School. Jill Alberto reported that on Jan. 8 and 9 she witnessed Liberty repeatedly step on the boy's bare feet after he had removed his shoes. Alberto reports Liberty stepped on his feet "at least 20 times" during both days and that the child was "visibly in pain."

A second witness, paraprofessional Lucy Cordeiro, reports witnessing Liberty grab the same child by the arm as he was exiting a bathroom and pull him "so forcefully that she thought it had the possibility of dislocating his shoulder," according to the police report. Liberty told police the boy was running and she was merely trying to stop him. Cordeiro said that was not true and that the boy was doing nothing wrong.

Despite the serious charges, Westport Superintendent Linda Galton apparently thinks there's not a problem, inexplicably declining to remove the teachers from the classroom. The School Department conducted its own investigation, she said, and "the staff remains in place."

Since when has the School Department employed professional investigators?

Galton's seemingly cavalier assessment has understandably infuriated the boy's father, who said he will hold his child out of school until the two teachers are removed.

"It's almost like from their point of view that it's not a big thing and we should just let it go," said the father, whose name The Herald News has decided not to publish to protect the boy's identity. "They have no sense of urgency. ... I would expect the school to to be more willing to fix this than to say there's nothing wrong here."

Indeed, Galton should be showing some sense of urgency. Ultimately, her job is to ensure children receive an education in a safe, peaceful environment. It is incumbent upon her to protect the children in her charge. Instead, she seems more willing to defend teachers accused of serious crimes.

While the School Department might not consider the accusations problematic, the Bristol County District Attorney's office clearly has a different opinion, planning to arraign the two women Feb. 5. That adds legitimacy to the claims and is more than enough reason to remove the two women from the classroom.

Doing so does not imply they are guilty of the crimes. Like any other defendent, Liberty and Rego are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the risk of exposing students to danger - and the town to potential lawsuits should they be found guilty - far outweighs the risk of having insulted the teachers with a paid leave should they be acquitted.

Allowing the pair to continue teaching while facing these charges is outrageous and dangerous. They must be removed immediately.