LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Michael Mascardo is no longer in his classroom at Minor Daniels Academy after police arrested him last month, accusing him of dressing up like a woman and groping men.
Charged with five counts of third-degree sexual abuse, Mascardo was released on bond after his attorney argued he didn't pose any risk to the community. Jefferson County Public Schools temporarily reassigned Mascardo to "work virtually" to complete assignments from his principal.
Carolyn Callahan, the district's chief communications officer, said each teacher reassignment situation is unique, and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis per district policy.
Teachers can be reassigned for a number of reasons, not only because of criminal investigations. The majority of reassigned teachers are sent to bus compounds or to JCPS Materials Production, which does copy and printing services.
"When a teacher is reassigned, they usually contact us, and we we provide representation for the meeting in which they let the teacher know what's going on," said DeeAnn Flaherty, executive director of the Jefferson County Teachers Association. "Anybody can make an allegation, and ... serious things have to be considered seriously and taken seriously."
Some teachers are investigated by police and JCPS. Other cases are only investigated by the district. Flaherty said teachers can be reassigned for everything from cussing in the classroom to getting arrested.
"After the investigation, there's a determination meeting, and, depending upon the results, they move forward with ... either returning the teacher to a classroom or if there's discipline that needs to be managed," Flaherty said. "I think if it's not something that's serious, then I don't think it's the best use of time to move a teacher to non-instructional when it's not something that is serious."
Callahan said the goal is to resolves reassignment situations as quickly as possible within a "fair and objective due process."
"I think the point of the district and moving them to non-instructional is because you don't want them in an instructional setting because we don't know exactly what's happened," Flaherty said. "It's a protection for the teacher so that you don't have students that are ... whispering about the teacher and the teacher is there.
"It takes away that distraction."
Flaherty said the ongoing teacher shortage makes these situations even more difficult.
"If you have a school that's already short of teachers and then you have a teacher that's accused of something and then you remove them and put them over at C.B. Young or the bus compound ... if it's already hard to get subs for that school, then that classroom has to be covered," she said. "And then you're you're pulling teachers on their planning, and so that's taking time away from them being able to adequately address the needs of their own classroom."
Flaherty said some teachers are reassigned for months for an investigation, a length of time that puts a strain on schools and is something JCTA has talked to the district about.
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