Superintendent: Northeast Academy Teacher Will Return To Classroom

Superintendent Paul Kadri said Wednesday the teacher at who was placed on leave for telling students to put paper towels in their mouths for speaking out in class will return to the classroom.

Kadri said her return date has not been finalized, but it will probably be after the April break.

The after school administrators learned she had asked students to hold paper towels in their mouths for five minutes if they spoke out of turn.

The practice occurred for about three weeks in late January and early February, then stopped. It was made public after a student complained to a parent, who then went to the principal.

Kadri said the teacher made a mistake, apologized the situation was investigated, and there was no evidence of abuse of students.

“Look, I’m held responsible for student safety. If I weren’t absolutely sure, I wouldn’t take any chances,” he said of allowing the teacher’s return.

Kadri said he and principal Paul Esposito met with parents of ten of the 18 students in the class last week. Kadri said parents were of different minds when they first walked in, but on the same page when they left.

“The basic question was, ‘What does this individual need to do to earn back your trust?’” Kadri said. He said school officials are working on a plan to enable parents to feel “comfortable and confident” with the teacher when she returns, but this is still in the process.

He added that Esposito is reaching out to parents of the eight children in the class who did not attend last week’s meeting.

He said individual concerns about the teacher or requests by parents about their children’s placement would be handled on a case-by-case basis.