http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WABC_061402_teacher.html
New York-WABC, June 14, 2002) — On Thursday afternoon, a substitute teacher allegedly lashed out at a group of first grade student wielding a broomstick. Police say it happened at the PS-4 school in Washington Heights. Friday, irate parents met with school officials to voice their concerns and understandably, their outrage. Anthony Johnson reports.
Friday morning, parents and administrators held a private, face-to-face meeting inside of the Duke Ellington School, located at West 160th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, to talk about the substitute teacher and how and why this teacher got into the school and apparently lashed out at a group of first-graders.
Maxima Javier, Grandparent: "They did not give me an answer as to why this happened. They just said that he is in jail."
When the meeting was over, the parents had just as many questions about the teacher who used allegedly used a broomstick to smack nearly 20 first-graders. In addition, he pulled their hair and twisted their ears.
Vanessa Riddick, Parent: "I would like to see the Board of Education screen their teachers a lot better. I think they should have some type of mental test done. Evidently, what they are doing is not enough."
The substitute teacher was charged with 15 counts of assault and endangering the welfare of children. The fifty-nine year old teacher, Danielo Nunez, has been working at the school for a few days and apparently lashed out trying to break up a disturbance in the classroom.
Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott says the city must make sure that this type of incident is not repeated.
Dennis Walcott, Deputy Mayor: "We have to make sure that this does not occur again. We should have a thorough investigation around substitute teachers and working with the UFT and the local district to make sure that the investigations are done in a thorough manner."
Administrators say this incident does not reflect what is going on inside of PS-4.
Superintendent Jorge Izquirdo, School District: "That was a substitute teacher and it could happen any place or any time. I think it was dealt with immediately and effectively."
The parents say, no matter how you look at it, the kids are traumatized by this whole incident.
Student: "He grabbed a kid by his ear and pulled him into a corner."
The teacher will be arraigned on Friday afternoon. Nunez has been fired and he has also been placed on a list that will prohibit him from ever teaching in the New York City school system.
