Earlier this week, a judge granted Stamford High School administrators Donna Valentine and Roth Nordin’s request to enter an accelerated rehabilitation program that would allow the charges of “failing to report” suspected abuse or neglect to be expunged from their records after two years. In response to rumors that have escalated around the school that the two administrators would not return back to their positions, The Round Table posed the question to Stamford Superintendent, Dr. Winifred Hamilton.  She issued the following statement via email:

“Now that the legal proceedings are complete, I will work with the Board of Education and determine next steps. Those next steps may include a district or independent investigation to determine what, if any, actions to take, both in terms of possible discipline and in terms of making changes to district protocols and or Board policies. Until we have determined the appropriate next steps, the two administrators will not return to Stamford High School.”

Hamilton also said, “The safety and well-being of the students in the Stamford Public Schools has been, and always will be, our top priority. We take our responsibilities seriously, including our reporting obligations to DCF and the mandated reporter training requirements. SPS, and especially our Student Support Services, has an excellent, collaborative relationship with DCF. It is our desire and intention to maintain and improve our working relationships with all child-serving agencies and organizations in our community, including child protection and law enforcement officials.”

These statements contradict the opinion of Stamford State’s Attorney David Cohen, who described “a bureaucratic culture at the Stamford Board of Education that puts institutional defense and system reputation above student safety.” Cohen made a statement in court Wednesday that blasted the district’s handling of the Danielle Watkins sex case, as well as other previous incidents that were not specifically mentioned.

Final verdict: the case is still developing and as investigations continue, Hamilton and the Board of Education will decide. At the moment, the safety of students is their top priority.

Keep checking back with The Round Table for more information.