The Sachem school district has a very large student population over 15,000 students. Sachem is one of the largest school district in New York State, keeping the vast student population in mind, we think one can only reasonably conclude that any one of Sachems abusive or bad policy's definitely would affect a very large number of students. SchoolWatch has been receiving a large amount of negative reports on sachem since our organization was founded. The task force team of investigators thought at first glance that the reports might be due to the large Sachem student population. Statistically it only makes good sense that the very large Sachem central school district would by statistics alone have more reports. SchoolWatch received a lot of complaints about Sachem and more reports just keep coming in. SchoolWatch receives reports about Sachem weekly and sometimes more than one complaint a day. We now feel obligated to go public and report some of the results of the ongoing investigation. We believe that Sachems bad policies, procedures and practices combined negatively affects thousands of Sachem school students on a daily basis. The alarming reports on Sachem keep pouring in and a large case file has compiled over time. The very nature and the high number of negative reports about Sachem sent up a red flag. (Symbolically)This flag was covered with the blood of abused children, parents and the Sachem school teaching staff. The highlighted abuse was shocking to the team of complaint investigators. The amount of the evidence against Sachem leads SchoolWatch to a shocking conclusion about the Sachem school district. SchoolWatch now believes that Sachem is one of the worst districts in New York State.

Bullying parents and children

SchoolWatch polled parents and some children. Parents and children were asked how they were treated by the district .The Parents of children and children that attend the Sachem School district offered a wide variety of horror stories. The stories highlighted abuse and a blatant disregard for children's education, safety and health issues. The parents reported that they were being treated with total disrespect and some were even threatened by school administrators. Sachem has a history of bullying parents and children. Please take the time to read the Long Island Press story- Reading, Riting and Revenge - Do public schools use child protective services as a weapon against parents. The story is about the abuse of parents, students and the CPS system. Sachem is in the story.

Intimidating and bullying staff

SchoolWatch has received information and reports of teachers being abused by the administration. SchoolWatch investigators have been visiting the teachers' union website. The teachers' union website is full of information about the abuse of staff and the misdeeds of the administration. We feel that the administrators that used the bullying tactics should lose their jobs and their certification.

The union president reported about the abuse and possibility of violations of the law in the November 13th, 2007 Executive Committee Minutes. The union President reported that the union was looking into filing against the district for possible violations of the law. The president reported that the administration is intimidating staff at CSE to make recommendations that do not necessarily meet the needs of the students.

SchoolWatch now seeks the names of the Administrators that are involved! (Dr. Murphy? Paul Stallion? CSE Chair MS. Mary Alice Foci?)

We have called the teachers union office and they have not called back. 

Mr. John Troise reported in the June 3rd, 2008 Teachers Union Executive Committee Minutes, There is a morale problem and the District Leadership is seen as bullies using intimidation and involuntary moves. Mr. J. Troise also reported that there was in fact a survey conducted and 49% of the surveys find Sachem not a satisfactory place to work.

Sachems NCLB issues /children left behind?
Jean Klauz

Jean Klauz reported in the May 6th, 2008 Union Executive Committee Minutes, The union is in the process of writing a complaint to the State Education Department regarding improprieties with the Math, ELA and Science Assessments. J.Klauz also reported about the Elementary concerns committee meeting the following week.

The Sachem School district has some minor NCLB issues, improprieties problems with the Math, ELA and Science Assessments! (GRADE BOOSTING?)

SchoolWatch thanks J. Klauz and the rest of the Sachem teachers that are trying to do right by the children.

We can only wonder at this point, does the Sachem school district administration see the need to follow any rule or regulation. 

I think it's safe to say that Sachem has some big problems.

Special Education pitfalls / children suffer

The Union President reported in November of 2007, that the administration is intimidating staff at CSE to make recommendations that do not necessarily meet the needs of the students.

SchoolWatch wants the names of the administrators.

This Union President also Reported on special education issues in his March 4th, 2008 Report. The president reported about fact finding and strategy meetings being held with OSS / special education staff. The President wrote about a meeting with NYSUT Representatives to discuss concerns regarding referral process and other special educational issues. The minutes reflected a desire to formulate a strategy on how to proceed regarding the special education problems and issues.

The Union President reported in the May 6th , 2008 Minutes, that the Sachem special education committee was to meet on May 7th , 2008, The meeting was called to put the finishing touches on the investigation into the violations of pre-determining CSE outcomes and due process, refusal to allow referrals, refusal to follow IEP's and delaying placement and services. The May meeting was also to determine if a complaint would be filed with the State Education Department. NYSUT had informed staff that they have no obligation to inform the district administration of their actions. The district staff did not have to offer the district the opportunity to fix the problems. We at SchoolWatch think that the Sachem central school district has been getting away with their own special brand of child abuse for much too long.

Some questions!

Who was intimidating staff at CSE to make recommendations that do not necessarily meet the needs of the students?
Who was pre-determining the CSE outcomes?
Who was refusing to allow referrals?
Who was refusing to follow IEP'S?
Who was delaying placement?
Who was delaying services?

John Troise reported in the teachers union June 3rd, 2008 Executive Committee Minutes, That the Special Ed Committee has catalogued and chronicled wrong doing from OSS. A formal complaint with documented evidence has been filed, received and acknowledged by the state, and Dr. Murphy has been contacted by the state.

A few more questions!

What's going on with the complaint? Was it withdrawn?
SchoolWatch has information that it was dropped.
Did the union sell out the children for a few perks? We know about the concessions they gave the union over the summer.
 - i.e... The homebound instruction duty. The paid after school bus duty.
Was it teachers contract negotiation time?
We were told the union got those perks to back out of the complaint. 
Does the union think that they have rehabilitated the administration? (Dr. Murphy, Paul Stillino and others) 
Why has the union refused to talk to Newsday about this? (We know that Newsday called the union)
We spoke to John Hildebrand the Newsday education reporter on 9 / 30/ 2008 at 10:30 am.
We were told that the new union president does not want to go forward with the complaint. Why?

SchoolWatch has called the union office.

The union won't return the calls from SchoolWatch. Why?
This is starting to look like a cover up!!

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Published November 2, 2008