Central Bucks superintendent placed on leave following report of abuse involving special education students.
Central Bucks School District has placed Superintendent Steven Yanni on administrative leave following serious allegations of abuse within a special education classroom at Jamison Elementary School. This decision comes in the wake of a report released by Disability Rights PA, which details troubling instances of maltreatment among students in an autistic support classroom.
In a communication addressed to community members, the school board president, Susan Gibson, alongside vice president Heather Reynolds, announced that Yanni will temporarily step down from his duties. During this period, Dr. Charles Malone, who serves as the assistant superintendent for secondary schools, will take over as acting superintendent.
The report outlining the abuse was made public just one day prior to the board’s announcement. It highlighted that students experienced significant distress, citing incidents involving the application of illegal physical restraints by both a teacher and an educational assistant. More alarmingly, the report indicated the creation of a “likelihood of sexual abuse and exploitation” affecting one of the students involved.
The allegations first surfaced in November when a personal care assistant reported the disturbing behavior to the district. Despite the administration’s previous claims of having found no evidence to support the allegations, the new report criticizes Yanni and other district leaders for their inadequate response to the claims. It was stated that they failed to properly investigate or inform the authorities regarding the assistant’s allegations, which included instances of students being screamed at, left to cry for extended periods, and instances of student nudity and inappropriate behavior.
In light of these serious accusations, the school board has engaged a law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the matter, although the results of this inquiry have yet to be disclosed to the public.
Yanni, who has previously served as a superintendent in Upper Dublin and Lower Merion, was appointed to his current role in May. Amidst these developments, the community remains on alert for updates as this situation unfolds.
This is a developing story, and further information will be provided as it becomes available. For ongoing coverage, stay tuned to trusted sources.
