Editor's Note: This article contains allegations of child abuse that could be disturbing for some readers
The Central Bucks School District superintendent was placed on leave following a new report that accuses a teacher and aide of abusing students with special needs by restraining them, physically punishing them, withholding water and leaving a student naked inside the classroom.
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WATCH HEREThe 73-page report was released by Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP), a nonprofit with federal authority to investigate public agencies on behalf of people with disabilities.
The DRP said they became aware of the allegations in January 2025 after administrators with the Central Bucks School District reported it to ChildLine, which is part of Pennsylvania’s child protective services program. While the report was made in January, the DRP said a whistleblower first reported the allegations to the school district in November 2024.
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SIGN UP According to the DRP, the abuse took place between September 2024 and December 2024 at Jamison Elementary School in Warwick Township, Pennsylvania. A teacher and aide at the school allegedly abused four students from kindergarten through second grade in an autism support classroom.
Some of the students were nonverbal and used communication devices, the report states.
A whistleblower accused the teacher and aide of abusing the students in the following ways:
- Allowing a student to remain naked inside the classroom for long periods of time
- Allowing a student to repeatedly masturbate inside the classroom
- Restricting a student’s access to water during the school day to prevent the student from urinating in the classroom
- Restraining a student by placing their feet on the legs of a table, preventing them from moving, while the aide was on her cellphone for a long period of time
- Forcing a student to continue working after the student gagged themselves
- Forcing a student to walk across wood chips as punishment for removing their shoes on the playground
- Forcing a student to sit on the toilet for 45 minutes for toilet training, not allowing them to go to recess
- Screaming loudly at the students
- Allowing two students to cry for long periods of time, including one student who cried so long that they vomited
- Failing to report several instances of the students being struck by other students
Throughout their investigation, the DRP met with seven staff members who they said witnessed the abuse as well as law enforcement. The report also accuses members of the Central Bucks School Board of misleading both police and parents about the alleged abuse.
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Towards the conclusion of the report, the DRP recommended that the teacher and aide be disciplined, placed on leave immediately, provide complete and transparent information to parents of the students, and get consultation, training and technical assistance for teaching students with special needs.
Parent of student speaks out
James Pepper, an attorney and member of the Central Bucks School Board, told NBC10 his 9-year-old son -- who is nonverbal -- was one of the abused students who was denied water and restrained.
“Our boy cannot speak,” he said. “He was restrained. His water was restricted from him. He was physically punished. And what’s so infuriating to me at this stage is that the district could have looked at videotape in its possession on November 20 to look back at what was happening to my son in the hallways. And instead of looking at it, they allowed it to be erased.”
Pepper said he was informed of the allegations in the fall of last year. He also said that while the district reported the allegations to ChildLine in January, it was too little too late. He also claims he was misled by school district officials about the allegations.
“There is no place in our district or any district for people that cover up child abuse,” Pepper said.
Pepper attended a Central Bucks School Board meeting Thursday night that addressed the report.
Response from Central Bucks School District
In a response to the report, Central Bucks School District Superintendent Dr. Steven Yanni claimed there were inaccuracies.
“I’m aware of the report; I read it after its release yesterday,” Yanni wrote on Thursday. “There are a number of instances of inaccuracies that I will address in the future when I am able to do so. Like the Board, I am awaiting the result of the independent report from Stock and Leader.”
The independent report Yanni referenced was commissioned by the Central Bucks School Board.
During Thursday's school board meeting, it was announced that Yanni was placed on administrative leave.
Dr. Charles Malone, the Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools in the district, also sent the following letter to the Central Bucks School District community in response to the report on Wednesday, April 23.
We write to confirm that the board, district, and district legal counsel received an investigative report from Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) around 2 p.m. today related to the allegations of child abuse in a Jamison classroom. Simultaneously, DRP also released this report to the public. The report contains concerning information that the board and district will review with utmost seriousness. It is important that we take the appropriate time to carefully evaluate the information presented before commenting or acting on any details.
We are also awaiting the results of the independent investigation into this matter. We will consider the DRP and independent reports carefully and are committed to taking any necessary action. The safety of our students remains our highest priority, and we will respond to both reports appropriately and transparently.
We thank you for your patience as we closely review the DRP report. We will share a follow-up communication as soon as we are able.
Community members speak out
Several emotional and angry parents attended Thursday's school board meeting, expressing shock towards the allegations as well as outrage over what they believe was a lack of action from officials.
"It's bad enough they were abused," Greg Bankso, a concerned parent, said. "The cover up of it instead of coming forward."
The parents demanded that everyone allegedly involved in the abuse be not only fired but also charged.
No criminal charges filed
No criminal charges have been filed in connection to the report. Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn released the following statement on Thursday.
“It is my and our Chief of Special Victims Unit’s life work to identify and prosecute individuals who abuse children. You will not find fiercer advocates for the protection of children and those with disabilities. As prosecutors, we took an oath to review any allegations of abuse dispassionately with the law as our guide. The report by Disability Rights Pennsylvania identifies recommendations for the school district to consider, which include staff and administrator discipline, training, policy development, and additional safeguards for the safety and rights of students with disabilities. As the district attorney, it is not my place to weigh in on non-criminal matters. To do anything beyond that would be beyond the scope of my statutory authority. The Bucks County District’s Attorney’s Office vows to continue to be vigilant in prosecuting criminal acts of child abuse.”
Warwick Township Police Chief Mark Goldberg also released a statement on Friday, April 25, writing that his department, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office all thoroughly investigated the abuse allegations but ultimately no charges were filed.
“With the gravity of the allegations, I, as the Chief of Police, have personally supervised this investigation. The Special Victims Unit of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office was contacted, and their attorneys provided guidance and direction throughout this ongoing investigation,” Chief Goldberg wrote. “At the conclusion of the investigation, the District Attorney’s Office concluded that the behavior alleged did not constitute criminal activity. Having monitored this investigation, I fully support that decision.”
— Warwick Police Department (@warwickpdbucks) April 25, 2025
