More Hartford school employees were disciplined following allegations of abuse that cost the former Bulkeley Bulldogs Head Football coach and his job.
News of the five workes being disciplined comes a month after former Coach Pablo Ortiz Jr. was fired.
In recent weeks, interim Hartford Public Schools superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez has made it clear that questionable behavior surrounding students’ safety and inadequate reporting to the appropriate authorities will not be tolerated.
A chief operating officer, a principal and athletic faculty manager are just three of at least five Hartford Public School employees who are being disciplined in some manner, in relation to the handling and reporting of allegations of abuse leveled against Ortiz.
The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters have learned exclusively from sources familiar with the situation that the discipline ranges from 10-day unpaid suspensions to disciplinary letters.
Last month, the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters obtained emails sent by assistant coaches and players outlining allegations of abuse, on and off the field, against now former Bulkeley football coach Pablo Ortiz, Jr. In addition to being fired, Ortiz remains under investigation by the state Department of Children and Families, which is where he works as a school social worker.
Ortiz declined to comment on the case on Monday.
Others who are being disciplined in some manner include Hartford schools Chief Operating Officer Dr. Jose Colon Rivas; Dr. Don Slater; Program Manager Nicole Porter, Athletic Faculty Manager Diane Callis, and Bulkely Principal Gayle Allen-Greene.
The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters have requested the disciplinary documents from Hartford schools.
According to state law, district employees are mandated reporters, required to notify DCF’s Care line or police within 12 hours of suspected abuse.
After the Child Advocate recently issued her report on a decade worth of Hartford school officials failing to report suspected child abuse, review and updating mandated reporting policies, the interim superintendent made a promise back on Feb. 10.
Torres-Rodriguez reiterated, “With child abuse, suspected abuse, if we know that people know and have not acted they will be held accountable up to and including termination.”
The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters have reached out to all employees named in this report, some have not responded, others directed NBC Connecticut back to the public information officer for the district, who has not yet commented.
