News 12 has learned that a suspended Newburgh teacher and whistleblower who says he’s being retaliated against by the district is facing 14 disciplinary charges for allegedly having several children sit on his lap while playing.
The Horizons-on-Hudson elementary teacher, Richard Desiderio, gave News 12 copies of the charges.
The documents allege four separate incidents involving four elementary students and carry several charges for each incident from 2021 to last May. Each incident, according to the district paperwork, occurred in front of other staff and students on the playground and classroom.
“Little children, kindergarteners, hug teachers without being prompted,” says Desiderio. “It happens all the time. If you’re going to investigate me for this, then investigate every other elementary teacher in the district. I have pictures of other teachers hugging kids."
Desiderio is charged with misconduct, insubordination, neglect of duty and incompetence.
The educator says this is the fourth time he’s been suspended since 2016, when he alerted authorities to an attendance and grading scandal. The evidence provided prompted an Orange County grand jury review and a 90-page report alleging “systemic failures” by the Newburgh Enlarged City School District.
Desiderio says previous workplace allegations against him were dropped after separate investigations cleared him of wrongdoing. He says altogether, he’s been written up by the district more than 50 times.
This time, he says his...
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