Saugus police: Teacher under investigation

Assistant Police Chief Leonard Campanello confirmed to the Daily Item that police are investigating a teacher at the Ballard Early Childhood Center.Campanello said the incident was reported on Friday, but declined to comment on the allegations, saying it was an ongoing investigation.?I can confirm a complaint was received and it involves a juvenile,” said Campanello. “We?re following up on it.”Calls to superintendent Richard Langlois were not returned Monday.The Ballard School teaches pre-k and kindergarten and has a staff of around 25, according to School Committee Chair Wendy Reed.Originally called Ballard Elementary, the school was closed in 2003 due to budget cuts and reopened last year as an early childhood center.Reed declined to comment on the nature of the allegations, but said she is confident in the staff at the Ballard School.?I don?t believe they?re going to find any maleficence,” said Reed. “The teachers there are very refutable and everyone speaks highly of them. I was there at the open house and everyone was raving about the teaching staff.”However, Mary Ellen Lynch, who picked up her twin 3-year-old sons Sean and Brennan on Monday afternoon, said she saw a teacher there drag a child earlier this school year.?I saw the ? teacher on the first day of school drag a child who was absolutely upset and nervous,” said Lynch. “I watched her drag this little girl across this blacktop to the stairs, at the point where the little girl lost her shoes. I couldn?t believe what I was seeing. I was shocked. I was so beside myself.”Lynch said she was “furious” with what she saw, but said another teacher was able to calm the child down.?I said, ?Wait a minute. You don?t drag a child across a parking lot,” said Lynch. “You just don?t do that to a little 4-year-old girl.”Robin McPhee, however, spoke highly of the staff at the Ballard School and even said they could be too lenient at times.?I think all the teachers are fantastic,” said McPhee, who was picking up her 3 year old. “? I think they coddle them too much. You?re talking to a drill sergeant if (a child) is going to get hurt or hurt another child and you need to get a message across ? I don?t think you should ever beat a child, but children need to be disciplined.”Jane Carbone said Monday all the teachers are “stand-up people,” but said parents need to be made aware of any investigations.?I?ve known every teacher here personally and I can?t even imagine anything happening,” said Carbone. “Parents need to know about any type of allegation at all so parents can look into it themselves and question it on their own. I can?t imagine anyone letting it go under the radar.”The parents who spoke to the Daily Item hadn?t received any notice from school officials about the investigation.While picking up her pre-k daughter on Monday, Fran Barone said she?s never seen a teacher do anything wrong at the school.?I think the teachers are wonderful here,” said Barone. “This is the best school I?ve ever seen in my life. They?re great with the kids.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.