The Derby Public Schools nurses and paraprofessionals union has filed a grievance concerning disciplinary actions taken against a teacher’s aide at Bradley School.
According to Colleen Ezzo, a staff representative for the union, paraprofessional Cindy Murano had never had a negative evaluation until the first half of the 2011-12 school year when she was unable to provide toiletry care for a special education student in her classroom.
Ezzo presented the grievance to the Derby Board of Education Thursday at a meeting at the middle school.
The board then held a lengthy executive session on the matter but was unable to resolve it.
Interim School Superintendent George Tanner said because of a personal matter, Dr. Lois Knapton, director of special education, was not able to attend this week’s meeting to answer questions.
He expects the board will hold a special meeting next week with hopes of resolving the issue.
Ezzo said the union objects that school administrators changed the duties of the paraprofessionals when they required Murano to provide personal care for the student that previously had not been required.
Murano attempted to comply, but Ezzo said she had an emotional reaction that kept her from doing it.
Initially, administrators accused Murano of insubordination. When the paraprofessional submitted a doctor’s note describing her actions as involuntary, Ezzo said she was subjected to other reprisals and eventually to disciplinary actions.
Ezzo said that Murano’s cooperating teacher had no objections about her performance, and that the mother of the special education student said her child had improved while under Murano’s care.
