This petition is written to request that you, Superintendent Deasy, return Renee Rorie (Speech therapist) and Joe Mirelles (Classroom teacher, Autism) to their respective teaching positions at Widney Special Education Center. We believe that these teachers displayed exceptional courage and integrity in taking a stand against colleagues and administrators that perpetrated, condoned, ignored and covered-up the abuse of disabled students at the Center. Unfortunately, administrators at the school site and district level administrators responded to their efforts to stop abuse with retaliation rather than support.

The claims of both teachers were verified through subsequent investigations. However, despite validation of the claims made by Mr. Mirelles and Ms. Rorie, administrators continue to retaliate against them. Ms. Rorie’s district speech therapy supervisors, responding to the requests of Widney’s principal and assistant principal, reassigned her to another school for the school year (2010-2011) over the protests of parents, students and fellow teachers. Ms. Rorie was replaced with two therapists who lacked both the experience and qualifications to serve the students. Parents complained to Ms. Rorie that their students were not being served adequately.

Ms. Rorie’s supervisors were aware that these administrators were retaliating against Ms. Rorie for reporting abuse. In fact, her district speech therapy supervisors told her that if the principal and assistant principal were removed from Widney, they would reassign her there. These supervisors had the confidence to make that promise. They were aware that such abuse had occurred for many years and did not expect anything to change. However, due to the persistence of Ms. Rorie and many dedicated parents, things DID change. A federal investigation took place and your predecessor had no choice but to remove the principal and assistant principal. However, Ms. Rorie’s supervisors refuse to honor their word. Instead, they continued to retaliate against Ms. Rorie during the 2010-2011 school year. Her immediate speech therapy supervisor stalked her, failed to provide her with the materials needed to do her job, failed to respond to her questions and repeatedly made false charges against her.
Mr. Mirelles, who did not have tenure, was fired for reporting. A negative “evaluation” of his performance, written by his principal, appeared in his file although he had never been given the opportunity to review it.
In summary, the purpose of this petition is to request that you show the integrity that Ms. Rorie’s supervisors apparently lack and require them to keep their word to reassign her to Widney. Similarly, we request that you reinstate Mr. Mirelles to his teaching position at Widney.