Wilton Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kevin Smith, Former Bethel Superintendent, Under Fire for Curriculum, Teaching Practices, and Misleading Parents on Sexual Abuse Case

Report by Paula Antolini
October 20, 2017 10:16AM EDT

 

Photo: Dr. Kevin Smith.

 

Wilton Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kevin Smith, Former Bethel Superintendent, Under Fire for Curriculum, Teaching Practices, and Misleading Parents on Sexual Abuse Case

Wilton Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kevin Smith, a former Bethel Superintendent of Schools, has received heavy criticism earlier this year concerning curriculum and teaching practices according to a special report series published in Good Morning Wilton (GMW). Dr. Smith left this position in Bethel in 2014 after serving only two years to assume the superintendent’s role in Wilton.

In a four-page, single-spaced letter sent to various sources including GMW (read full letter in images at bottom of this article), described as “an anonymous letter in the mail, unsigned but purportedly written by a Wilton teacher” concerns were raised “about several aspects of the Wilton School district, and leveled some pointed criticism at superintendent  Dr. Kevin Smith and assistant superintendent Dr. Chuck Smith,” reads the report. “The letter is critical of several aspects of the Wilton school district, most notably changes to curriculum, teaching practices and new initiatives introduced by the school administration,” the report says.

In investigating this story, Good Morning Wilton stated that it made every attempt to interview the individuals involved including taking statements from a dozen teachers.  “We spoke with Kevin Smith and Bruce Likly, the chair of the Board of Education, and have published our interviews with each of them,” reads the report.  Click here to read full story.

In addition to the above problem, News 8 WRNH reported that Dr. Smith mishandled a sensitive issue in his first year as Wilton Superintendent concerning a former teacher’s aide in Wilton who was arrested on a child pornography charge. According to the report, Dr. Smith “misled parents about abuse allegations,” and suggested the school actually attempted to cover it.  “There is panic among parents in Wilton after a former teacher’s aide was arrested on child porn charges. The Wilton School District recently reassured parents nothing happened to harm students at the school. But now there are questions if the school actually covered up a sex abuse allegation on the school’s property,” News 8 reporter Bob Wilson wrote.  Superintendent Dr. Kevin Smith had reassured parents three days earlier that Von Kohorn never touched any Wilton students.  Click here to read full story.

 

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4-PAGE LETTER:

Click on each image to view larger, then CLICK AGAIN on next page to enlarger further.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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