Corrupt DOE's OSI Exposed on Debra Fisher Case

Leonie Haimson Reports:

For years, people have complained about the unfair and biased work of OSI as regards the incompetent or corrupt Contracts and Legal staff. Yet Carmen Farina has kept all the same people in charge of these offices – severely undermining the reputation of the DOE as a whole. This is the same OSI office that Condon routinely kicks school cheating allegations to, and about which  de Blasio recently said:

“I believe very, very strongly in the quality of our investigations unit. I have absolute faith in the integrity of that unit.”

Really? 

I wonder how the UFT, the DOE partner in crime, will report this story.

In a rare public rebuke, SCI Condon critiques the DOE investigative unit OSI.  Excerpt:

“Today, Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard J. Condon released a report detailing an investigation which found that Wei Liu, a Confidential Investigator assigned to the Department of Education (DOE) Office of Special Investigations (OSI), made inaccurate statements and drew inaccurate conclusions in an OSI report substantiating misconduct on the part of Occupational Therapist Debra Fisher, assigned to PS 333 in Manhattan. The statements and conclusions were at least partially responsible for Liu’s substantiated findings in the OSI case, which resulted in the DOE taking disciplinary action against Fisher. The SCI investigation also substantiated, more generally, that OSI investigators and their investigations do not receive adequate supervision. “

This case involved Debra Fisher who was suspended from her school after a negative finding by OSI for raising money for a special needs student, now suing DOE for back pay and to have the disciplinary letter removed from her file.  More here: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/03/nyregion/bureaucracy-turns-a-hero-into-a-rogue.html  

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/school-staffer-suing-suspension-fundraiser-article-1.2075538

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/14/nyregion/a-school-aide-to-the-disabled-sues-new-york-city.html?_r=0

As Leonie points out, Condon's office is not much better than OSI. Here is the press release from Condon's office - without the attachments.

Attached, please find our press release and report regarding an investigation concerning a Confidential Investigator, assigned to the Department of Education, Office of Special Investigations (OSI), who made inaccurate statements and drew inaccurate conclusions in an OSI report substantiating misconduct on the part of Occupational Therapist Debra Fisher.

The press release and report can also be found on our website (http://nycsci.org/).

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 212-510-1479.

Regina Romain

Public Information Officer, Special Commissioner of Investigation

RRomain@nycsci.org

(O): 212-510-1479

(F): 212-510-1550