Hartford School District Lays Out New Plan for Student Safety

Hartford Public schools held the first of several public forums Thursday night on ensuring student safety.

After a state report found the district failed to adequately respond to child abuse and neglect allegations for nearly a decade, Hartford Public Schools partnered with the Connecticut Child Advocate and Hartford Parent University to reassure parents that positive change is on the way.

“We did something that was not OK in terms of our failures our systemic failures and we have to fix it,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres- Rodriguez said.

On Thursday, Torres-Rodriguez laid out the district’s new action plan, which was designed with the help of the OCA.

“We recommended a comprehensive corrective action plan to the district that they would do not just internally but with outside expertise and with outside monitoring,” Connecticut Child Advocate Sarah Eagan said. “I am really happy to say committed to all of that.”

According to Torres-Rodriguez, the district is establishing processes and protocols and is committed to holding those at fault accountable.

Sapphire Snider, the parent of a first grader at Milner School, said it is about time.

“From now on we know things are going to be handled appropriately,” Snider said.

Public forums where parents can ask questions about the new action plan are scheduled for the following:

  • Thursday, March 30, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bulkeley High School
  • Thursday, April 6, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Journalism and Media Academy
  • Thursday, April 20, 5:40 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Hartford Public High School
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