Former Bethel School Staffer Accused of “Inappropriate Activities”

A staff member at the Frank A. Berry Elementary School in Bethel has resigned over allegations of engaging in "inappropriate activities with minor children," according to a letter from the superintendent.

Superintendent Dr. Christine Carver said in the letter on Friday that the staff member was placed on paid administrative leave as soon as school officials learned of an investigation into the employee's conduct.

Carver said administrators learned of the allegations on Thursday afternoon, adding that the "personal matter" is part of an ongoing investigation by the Department of Children and Families.

The staff member was forbidden from entering school property or accessing the school district computer system and was initially placed on paid administrative leave, but has since since resigned from Bethel Public Schools, according to the superintendent.

School officials have not identified the employee by name or elaborated on the allegations, but state police said the suspected misconduct did not involve students at the Berry School.

Carver said in a follow-up letter after receiving numerous inquiries from concerned parents that "authorities have not shared any information with the district that indicates that any misconduct occurred on school grounds."

“Clearly, any allegation of inappropriate contact with minors is disturbing and causes concerns about the safety of the children in our school community," Carver wrote in the letter. "Please be reassured that the safety of children is our foremost concern and there are many policies and procedures in place to ensure the wellbeing of all our children.”

Carver said counseling will available to Berry School students and staff on Monday, and administrators will work with families to provide affected students with additional support services if need be.

The district is obligated to coordinate investigatory activities, including the release of information, with state authorities conducting the investigation," Carver said in a follow-up letter. "The district will continue to cooperate with the authorities with respect to the investigation, including the release of information, so as to avoid any compromise to the integrity of the investigation. We understand and respect that parents would like to get as much information as possible, and we will work with the investigating agencies to release information as appropriate to the investigatory process."

The father of a Berry School student, who asked not to be identified, called the allegations horrifying and said the school's response leaves much to be desired.

"As a parent of a student of Berry Elementary, I am angry at the way the superintendent notified parents. The letter attached in the the email we received was quite vague and sent very late in the day, leaving my wife and I with many unanswered questions," he said in a statement on Friday night. "It simply created fear within the community. When we contacted the school we were simply told that at the advice of the district's legal counsel, all the information they could tell us was contained in the letter that was sent to the parents."

School officials said they have reason to believe the staff member in question might have confided in other people, both within the school and without.

Anyone with information is urged to call State Police Major Crimes Det. Flynn at 203-267-2225.

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