Yesterday, I shared news about a campaign to “Free” a 61-year employee of Algonquin.
The story included the school’s allegation that former T-Hawks coach Dick Walsh was not “banned” from the building as circulated on twitter and by an online petition. But the question remained, where did the rumors come from. And how much truth was behind them.
The Worcester Telegram sheds a little more light on that. The Telegram conducted some interviews and shared more communications.
Though Walsh didn’t give T&G the full scoop, he made it clear there was more to the story than shared in Superintendent Christine Johnson’s email:
At his home this week, Mr. Walsh was reluctant to discuss the issue, which apparently arose during a Sept. 18 meeting with Ms. Johnson and Cheryl Levesque, the business director. He said Ms. Johnson told him to not return to the school. But, he said, Ms. Levesque told the superintendent that he would have to come into the building for some of his tasks, including opening the school. Mr. Walsh declined to say why he was told to not come back inside the building.
“Yes, she told me why. But I can’t tell you,” the 83-year-old grandfather said Tuesday evening.
From the article, one rumor may have legs. That’s the allegation that administrators’ concerns about the elder staffers physical condition (and their liability) played a role:
Jaiden Dallis, a junior, said he was told by a teacher that Mr. Walsh was asked not to return to the building because “he’s not steady on his feet and he could be a liability” if he were to get hurt. He said he was also told that Mr. Walsh signed a waiver saying he would not blame the school district should something happen to him while on the property. Mr. Walsh did tell a reporter that he’d had a fall at his home some time ago.
For the full article, click here.
