Ragosta report could remain under wraps

By John Howell
Posted 11/27/15

According to sources, the Ragosta Report, which has been under wraps since it was made to the School Committee last May, was to have been released to the City Council and the mayor yesterday …

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Ragosta report could remain under wraps

Posted

According to sources, the Ragosta Report, which has been under wraps since it was made to the School Committee last May, was to have been released to the City Council and the mayor yesterday afternoon.

But the contents of the report, detailing how the school administration responded to complaints that a Gorton science teacher drew penises on the arms of two female students, may remain secret for the immediate future, if not indefinitely. Reportedly, the attorney for Rosemary Healey, school human resources director who was recently suspended with pay by Superintendent Philip Thornton, has asked that the report be kept private.

The council subpoenaed the School Committee for the report, an action that the committee opposed on grounds it was confidential under attorney-client privilege. In a recent ruling, Superior Court Associate Justice Bennett Gallo found in favor of the city. Judge Gallo identified sections of the report that would come under protection of attorney-client privilege and recommended they be redacted from the report along with the names of students and parents.

Last week in a voice message Andrew Henneous, counsel for the committee, said that process was nearing completion and he expected the report would be forwarded to the council and the mayor shortly. Henneous also stressed that the report would be going to the city, as ruled by Judge Gallo, and would not be publicly released.

Mayor Scott Avedisian said Wednesday he would wait to hear from the attorney general before making the report public.

“The problem is that it’s not our document. If the city produced it then it should be made public,” he said.

City Council President Donna Travis was also looking for guidance. She said she planned to talk with John Harrington, legal counsel to the City Council.

“I don’t want this to backfire,” she said.

She said it would be worth it to delay release of the report a little longer if that meant it was properly handled.

Travis favors having the report or a summary of its findings made public. She feels it will vindicate her efforts and those of other council members to understand how the school administration dealt with the complaints.

“We were not on a witch hunt,” she said. “The administration should have done its job.”

Harrington said Wednesday that he sent a letter to council members last week advising them that they shouldn’t make the report public as that was not what Judge Gallo ruled on. Asked about any correspondence from Healey, Harrington said he received a letter from her attorney “implying the report didn’t tell the whole story and it shouldn’t be made public.”

Healey, Richard D’Agostino and Dennis Mullen were named in a vote of no confidence approved by the council this summer. D’Agostino retired in July as superintendent. Mullen, who was director of secondary education, also retired this summer.

Thornton did not give any reason for suspending Healey.

The situation at Gorton came to light after the teacher, Mario Atoyan, was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old North Kingstown girl. Atoyan has been suspended without pay.

Amy Kempe, spokeswoman for Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, said yesterday that the issue before Judge Gallo was not whether the report should be made public but whether it should be provided to the city in response to the subpoena.

“It doesn’t automatically mean it’s a public document,” she said of Judge Gallo’s ruling.

Both the Warwick Beacon and the Warwick Post, an online news outlet, filed access to public records act requests to have the report made public. Kempe said those requests are under review. She also said the AG will be in communication with the city.

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  • Justj1969

    Is it only me that finds it odd that so many people don't want the public to see this report? If everything was handled as it should have been there would be no reason.

    Saturday, November 28, 2015 Report this