New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) has rescinded a planned transfer of math teacher Thomas Fargeorge from Benjamin Jepson School to Ross Woodward School — after the superintendent recognized that the transfer was “premature,” given that Fargeorge still has a pending criminal court case. That c ancelled transfer was included in the personnel report for the Board of Education’s Monday meeting. It marks the second time in recent months that NHPS has changed course around where Fargeorge should return as a teacher. In January, Fargeorge was put on leave and later arrested for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a 13-year-old former student at Jepson. An internal investigation by the school district subsequently cleared Fargeorge to return to his teaching duties; his criminal case, meanwhile, is ongoing, and he has not yet entered a plea to one misdemeanor count of harmful communication with a minor. State court records show that his next court date is scheduled for Aug. 25. NHPS had originally planned to bring Fargeorge back to a classroom at Benjamin Jepson School. The district reversed course in April after some Jepson families reached out to the district to share their concerns. NHPS then planned to transfer Fargeorge to a third-grade classroom at Ross Woodward School. The district has now reversed course on that decision, too, after some Ross Woodward families reached out with concerns. “While the district had resolved its own investigation into an allegation made against the staff member, families have asked us why we would proceed with a student-facing reassignment while the staff member had a related misdemeanor case pending in court,” NHPS Supt. Madeline Negrón wrote to Ross Woodward School families in a July 24 email. “Although we had reviewed the matter and followed all applicable legal requirements, employment procedures, and collective bargaining obligations, we acknowledge that our decision was premature. Accordingly, we will postpone a final decision about the staff member’s assignment until the legal issue is resolved.” Negrón said that Ross Woodward will make a new appointment for the position that Fargeorge — who she does not name in the email — had initially been intended to fill. “We do want to assure families that student safety and well-being will remain central to every decision we make,” she concluded. “We thank the Ross Woodward school community for your forthright and respectful communication with us about this matter. Please continue to support Ross Woodward Magnet School.” The district has not yet explained what this latest transfer reversal means for Fargeorge’s employment status for the upcoming school year. The post Arrested Teacher’s Transfer Nixed appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less