A mother wants to sue the Education Department after a New York teacher, who was arrested after allegedly slapping the Bronx mom’s 12-year-old daughter, is still receiving his $98,000 salary.
Fatali Okunola, 50, a science and ESL teacher at I.S. 219 New Venture School in Morrisania allegedly assaulted the girl twice and also asked her to use profanity during class, reported the New York Post.
Okunola allegedly asked her if she knew the Spanish slang word for “whore” on Oct. 26, according to a notice of claim against the Department of Education. The girl allegedly responded that she did not want to say the curse word “out loud,” according to the claim. Due to the 12-year-old not complying with Okunola’s orders, he hit her leg and slapped her across the face.
“I feel that my daughter is not safe, that kids are not protected as they should be,” Nancy Cardona, the mom of the alleged victim, told the New York Post.
Authorities arrested the teacher and charged him with assault following the incident. He is expected at court in January, yet is still receiving his salary from the school. He previously was reprimanded for poor judgment allegations in regards to corporal punishment in 2014 and for making “innapropriate comments to students” in 2006, according to The Post.
“You can’t put someone like that in a classroom with 12-year-old boys and girls. There’s just no justification for doing it,” said Robert Vilensky, an attorney for Cardona.
There is currently ongoing investigation of the alleged incident.
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