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A team of six members from Pullman & Comley, a Hartford law firm, took over the investigation of the incident because the Board of Education was unsure whether the superintendent of schools, Winifred Hamilton, would be able to look into her own office and conduct an impartial investigation, reported the Advocate.
The report identifies "systemic failures" against the school and district with administrative turnover, inadequate training and a belief that criticism was not tolerated, the Advocate said.
The case began when English teacher Danielle Watkins was arrested in July 2014 on charges of having a sexual relationship with a male student and giving marijuana to him and another student. She is now serving five years in prison after pleading guilty.
Former Stamford High principal Donna Valentine and assistant principal Roth Nordin were also arrested in October 2014 and charged with failing to report an allegation of the teacher/student sexual relationship to the state Department of Children and Families.
Both Nordin and Valentine, who will not be returning to their positions at Stamford High School, were granted accelerated rehabilitation, which would leave them with no criminal record if they have no other legal problems within the next two years.
The legal team reviewed information the Stamford Police Department, the school district and the school's attorneys, the Advocate said. Over 48 interviews were read by the team as well as over 400,000 emails that were associated with the incident, the Advocate said.
To read the entire story in the Stamford Advocate, click here.
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