Allan Appel File Photo
(Updated) Two months after she was placed on leave while authorities probed the alleged sex assault of a student during a school trip, Ramona Gatison is back in charge as principal of Lincoln-Bassett school.
Gatison (pictured) was placed on paid administrative leave on June 13 as the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) and local police investigated allegations that a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by male eighth-grade students during a school trip to Lighthouse Point Park. The alleged sex assault took place on May 31 and went unreported for over a week, though teachers and administrators are required by state law to report such incidents.
Superintendent of Schools Reggie Mayo said Tuesday that DCF concluded its probe and found Gatison not guilty of “physical neglect or abuse” of any students in the school. Other adults in the building were also found not guilty, Mayo said: “There were no charges from DCF.”
DCF spokesman Gary Kleeblatt declined to discuss the probe because “child protection records are not public records under CT General Statute 17a-28.”
“We do conduct investigations when we receive a report of abuse or neglect on the part of a teacher or other licensed employee of a school. The outcome of the investigation is then shared with the school system so that it can take appropriate action as warranted,” he said.
New Haven police “closed the case without any criminal charges,” Mayo said. The alleged victim’s family withdrew the report, according to police spokesman Officer Joe Avery.
Mayo said the probes cleared Gatison of wrongdoing. He said even if the DCF probe had come up with charges against Gatison, “I don’t think anything would have been serious enough” to warrant removing the principal from the school.
Gatison has been principal for 13 years at Lincoln-Bassett, which serves 330 kids in grades K‑8 in Newhallville. She has been back at work for a week and a half, Mayo said Tuesday. Interim Principal Larry Conaway has returned to Wilbur Cross High School, where he serves as assistant principal, Mayo said.
Parents, who reeled from the incident in June, have learned of Gatison’s return through the grapevine.
One concerned father, who declined to give his name to the Independent, said he plans to remove his child from the school because of Gatison’s return.
Mayo said Gatison aimed to inform parents of her return at parent orientations Monday and Tuesday. The orientations were canceled due to the weekend’s hurricane.
The principals failure to promptly report the sexual assault of a child may no the actionable by DCF, but is this the kind of person who should be running a school? Under what circumstances is this acceptable behavior? Doesn't Dr Mayos decision to reinstate this principal seriously bring into question his own judgment and ability to carry out his job?