Fairfax County special education director no longer working for district
Irene Meier
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Fairfax County Public Schools confirms its special education director, who was on leave for several months, is no longer working for the district.
The confirmation about the leadership shift comes as the district is reeling from its latest controversy surrounding special needs students.
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A former principal and two former staff members are facing criminal charges for reportedly assaulting special needs students and not reporting it.
Special Education Director Irene Meier is out, Acting Director Michael Bloom is in — and Bloom was made permanent director about four weeks ago.
Aside from the leadership shift, the apparent abuse of six students with special needs reportedly took place at Freedom Hill Elementary School in Vienna.
The school has since placed posters on campus urging faculty, staff and students to be mandatory reporters of abuse.
Parents are reacting after former principal Scott Bloom and two former teachers, 48-year-old Cylmeera Gastav of Herndon and 59-year-old Cecilia Maria Benavides of Alexandria, were indicted on felony charges.
But is there a larger issue within the district?
Bloom was apparently working at another school.
Police say the alarming accusations were first brought to their attention in September after a teacher saw bruising on one of the victims.
This all comes after a year of upheaval surrounding the district’s special needs students that FOX 5 has been staying on top of:
• In March, Fairfax County Public Schools was in the hot seat for reportedly not properly reporting hundreds of seclusion and restraint incidents to the Department of Education.
• In May, the district vowed to review its policy.
• In July, Special Education Director Irene Meier went on leave.
• In October, a group of parents reportedly sued the district, accusing it of improperly secluding and restraining special needs students.
And now this. Fairfax County police are asking anyone with information to call them.