An unusual lawsuit in Montgomery County Maryland received much focus... In this case, Paul Hassler, a teacher with a high record of student failure and professional abuses, sued a parent and math tutor who alerted school officials. The full trial transcripts are posted here (Day One).(Day Two). Included in the transcript is testimony by school administrators, John Nori and Steven Seleznow that they shredded all student testimony about the abuses.
Also included in the transcript is the teacher's abrupt exit as ABC-TV's 20/20 began recording the trial...
...In a school district often touted as the nation's finest, records showed that 75% of Paul Hassler's Algebra II students received D's or E's on the county-wide final exam...
..."There is one person missing in this courtroom," the trial began. "One person who should be here to listen to this testimony. And that is Jerry Weast, the new Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools."Read the complete summary of this case at this link.
As the facts came to light, the picture emerged of a school system bogged down by bureaucracy and protections for its staff, but without similar protections for children.
"If they can't do anything to remove an abusive and incompetent teacher, fine. Admit that. Just tell us," a parent said. "But to tell us 'we care' and 'we can' and 'we want to hear from you' and then leave a parent hanging out there alone to fight the nightmare of a million dollar lawsuit, for following the exact steps they ask us to follow...this is wrong."
