School actions erode ‘trust’

Mayor comments on vote of no confidence

John Howell
Posted 8/27/15

Although Mayor Scott Avedisian has not signed a vote of no confidence resolution approved earlier this month by the City Council, he believes that until an independent report on how the school …

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School actions erode ‘trust’

Mayor comments on vote of no confidence

Posted

Although Mayor Scott Avedisian has not signed a vote of no confidence resolution approved earlier this month by the City Council, he believes that until an independent report on how the school administration handled complaints about a Gorton teacher, rebuilding relationships between the city and schools will be difficult.

“I would have signed it,” Avedisian said yesterday, “but it included [former superintendent Richard] D’Agostino and [former director of secondary education Dennis] Mullen, and I’m not sure we needed to express anything about them.”

Since Councilwomen Camille Vella-Wilkinson, Council President Donna Travis and Kathleen Usler co-signed the resolution in April, D’Agostino and Mullen have retired. Both were named in the resolution, as well as Rosemary Healey, who was serving in the dual capacity of director of human resources and legal counsel. Healey has since been replaced as legal counsel but retains her position in human resources.

The councilwomen called for the vote when it came to light that Gorton science teacher Mario Atoyan, who was charged in April with first- and second-degree sexual assault of a 15-year-old North Kingstown girl, in unrelated incidents drew a penis on the arms of two Gorton female students while in school. The councilwomen, who were joined by Karen Bachus of the School Committee, wanted to know how the school administration responded to complaints made by the girls’ parents and what actions had been taken against Atoyan.

With D’Agostino and Mullen having left the system, Avedisian thinks it is import to know what happened but there is no reason to question them.

“The only one that hasn’t explained actions or inactions is Rosemary Healey,” he said.

Pointing to council resolutions to subpoena the school committee to appear before them and hand over the independent report of school administrative actions, Avedisian said, “There is a high level of frustration with the school department.”

Introduced by Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur, the subpoena resolutions would have been voted on this month had the meeting not been ended as the hour was approaching midnight.

Avedisian believes the no-confidence vote, which was approved by six council members, is symptomatic of a “lack of confidence in the whole system.” He said he shares the council’s frustration.

He said he still has not gotten answers to questions posed years ago, such as the background for the sudden dismissal of former superintendent Peter Horoschak and the settlement reached with him. He also has not been made privy to the Vincent Ragosta report in connection with the Gorton incidents.

An attorney, Ragosta was retained by Warwick schools at a cost of almost $30,000 to investigate how the school administration responded to the Atoyan incidents. The report was presented to the school committee in executive session but not publicly released.

It is the subject of request made by the Beacon under the Access to Public Records Act, which was denied by the school department and appealed to the attorney general. The attorney general has not issued a finding as of this time.

Avedisian is incredulous that Rhode Island State Police could release a nearly 200-page report on their exhaustive review of the Cranston Police Department, yet schools are saying they can’t release a report regarding what happened following incidents involving a teacher in Warwick.

In an effort to open lines of communication, Avedisian said he and Travis have been meeting with School Committee Chair Jennifer Ahearn and had talks with Interim Superintendent William Holland. He said he felt if he had signed the no-confidence vote resolution, it would have further opened the gap. Unlike an ordinance, the mayor cannot veto a resolution, so his only other option was to not sign it.

“I want to show a spirit of cooperation,” he said, “and that by working together we’re moving forward.”

He said keeping the report under wraps “erodes confidence in the system.” He said the council “needs answers first” before the process of rebuilding trust can take place.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    All the board has to do in the case of Mr. Horoschak's leaving is tell us the reason or say that it is personal and cannot be disclosed. Being silent makes us all think the worst.

    Thursday, August 27, 2015 Report this

  • Reality

    Consider the 3 stooges who introduced the resolution......Vella-Wilkinson, Travis and Usler. They have done nothing on the council.......Vella is all fluff and Travis and Usler don't understand what's going on......it's over their heads.

    Vella, Travis and Usler are a joke.

    Thursday, August 27, 2015 Report this

  • JohnStark

    Reality: A broken watch is right twice a day. Whether they stumbled into it or not, the No Confidence vote is appropriate. But if you step back and think about it, this latest episode of chaos makes potential families a lot less likely to come to Warwick. The city is rusting, which voters continue to reinforce.

    Friday, August 28, 2015 Report this

  • Reality

    Stark....the fact is the 3 stooges aka Vella, Travis and Usler have absolutely no control over the school dept....thank goodness....but the city cascades towards bankruptcy and these 3 do nothing. You have to take into account that Travis and Usler don't know what day it is and Vella is too busy running around accomplishing nothing. These 3 are a disgrace.

    Saturday, August 29, 2015 Report this