Central Bucks School District child abuse investigation: What you need to know

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On Wednesday, two Central Bucks School District administrators were placed on administrative leave amid ongoing investigation into allegations of abuse at Jamison Elementary School and the district’s reporting of the incidents. District Superintendent Steven Yanni was also placed on administrative leave last week.

It’s the latest fallout after Disability Rights Pennsylvania released a report last week finding that students in an autistic support classroom at Jamison Elementary School “experienced abuse, neglect, illegal restraints, use of aversive techniques, and disability discrimination” at the hands of a teacher and educational assistant.

Here’s what to know about the ongoing investigation.

What does the report say?

Disability Rights Pennsylvania, an independent, nonprofit organization, began investigating the abuse allegations in January after a Central Bucks School District school board member and parent of one of the students in the classroom, along with other community members, spoke at a school board meeting calling for the resignation of several administrators.

The investigation found a personal care assistant first reported allegations of abuse by the teacher and educational assistant to the district in November. According to the PCA’s report, the teacher and educational assistant restrained students, restricted water, physically punished students and left one student naked for an extended period of time. Disability Rights Pennsylvania’s three-month-long investigation found those allegations to be “credible and corroborated.”

The report also found that district administrators’ reports of the suspected abuse to ChildLine, the state child protective services hotline, were “incomplete and misleading.”

Warwick Township Police Department investigated and referred findings to Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn, who said she did not find cause to press criminal charges and declined to prosecute. The district’s internal investigation found no evidence of abuse, although the Disability Rights Pennsylvania report found that the district’s investigation did find evidence of abuse, but that evidence was not communicated to parents and police.

How has the district responded?

In February, the district retained an outside law firm to conduct an external investigation into the abuse allegations, which remains ongoing. A summary of the findings will be made public.

The day after the Disability Rights Pennsylvania report was released, Steven Yanni, district superintendent, was placed on administrative leave. On Wednesday, the district also placed Robert Freiling, director of human resources, and Christine Trawinski, human resources manager, on administrative leave.

The school board did not respond to WHYY News’ request for comment for this story. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, school officials said Wednesday that they are “committed to navigating this difficult period in our district with unwavering focus on maintaining the educational experience for students, underpinned by our ultimate priority: the safety of our students.”

What comes next?

Findings from the outside investigation are not yet public. Freiling, Trawinski and Yanni are on leave pending the results of that investigation.

Both the teacher and educational assistant whose actions are under investigation have been out on personally requested leave since January, according to the Disability Rights Pennsylvania report, and were not placed on leave by the district.

A spokesperson for Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday told The Philadelphia Inquirer this week that the office is conducting an “ongoing” investigation into the allegations.