Activism and Advocacy

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State of Rhode Island

Office of the Attorney General

August 24, 2023

Mr. David Fargnoli

Re: Fargnoli v. City of Pawtucket Charter Review Commission

Dear Mr. Fargnoli:

 I am in receipt of your Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) complaint filed against the City of Pawtucket Charter Review Commission (“Commission”). By correspondence dated August 23, 2023, you allege that the Commission violated the OMA by failing to timely post supplemental notice for an August 8, 2023 meeting and by including inadequate agenda items in the supplemental notice for its August 1, 2023 and August 2, 2023 meetings.

In accordance with our policy, a copy of your complaint will be sent to legal counsel for the above-mentioned entity, along with our investigatory request. We will request that legal counsel forward its response to you so that you may have one opportunity to rebut the entity’s response. Your rebuttal should be limited to the matters addressed in the entity’s response and should not raise new issues that were not presented in your complaint or addressed in the entity’s response. You have five (5) business days from receipt of the entity’s response to provide a rebuttal to this Office.

Please note that after this opportunity to respond, neither party will be allowed additional response without permission or inquiry from this Office. After the expiration of this timeframe, we shall conduct our investigation based upon the evidence presented in the parties’ written submissions. If you have any additional information that you wish this Office to consider, or if this acknowledgment letter does not accurately reflect your complaint, please contact me in writing within five (5) business days. After the expiration of this five (5) business day period from receipt of this letter, no further correspondences will be accepted by this Office without permission, besides your rebuttal. In addition, please confirm (by cc or otherwise) that any additional correspondence sent to this Office was also forwarded to legal counsel the public body, Mr. Frank J. Milos, Jr., Esquire, Fmilos@pawtucketri.com.

You should also be advised that at all times during this Office’s investigation of this matter, and if necessary during all judicial proceedings, the Office of Attorney General serves only as the attorney for the State of Rhode Island. This Office does not, and cannot, represent or act as an attorney for either the complaining party (individual) or the respondent (public body). Nothing prohibits either the complaining party or the respondent from obtaining their own legal counsel to represent their interests in this matter and nothing prohibits you from pursuing this complaint in the Superior Court, rather than pursuing it with the Office of Attorney General.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Adam D. Roach

Adam D. Roach

Special Assistant Attorney General

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Below are videos of the 2023 Pawtucket Charter Review Commission meetings and articles regarding

Guilty! Grebien Administration Charter Review Minions Found In Violation of Multiple Open Meeting Laws - Coalition Radio Network

Repudiation is the watchword in Pawtucket City Hall as the Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General found the Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien-led Charter Review Commission … Most say founded as an act of political retribution against an independent

Story sited  / The Coalition Radio Network

Coalition Radio Network Article by Pat Ford

Pawtucket Activist Fargnoli Files Open Meetings Act Violation Citing Illicit Dealings of Mayor Grebien’s Charter Review Commission - Coalition Radio Network

Coalition Radio Network

Aug 1, 2023 Pawtucket Charter Review Commission meeting:
https://fb.watch/nBFogFw5o4/?

mibextid=Nif5oz

Coalition Radio Network

Aug 2, 2023 Pawtucket Charter Review Commission meeting: 

https://fb.watch/nBIFNjwyWg/?mibextid=Nif5oz 

Coalition Radio Network

 Aug 8, 2023 Pawtucket Charter Review Commission meeting:

https://fb.watch/nBFqt_clUl/?mibextid=Nif5oz

Coalition Radio Network

 Aug 31, 2023 Charter Review Commission meeting: 

https://fb.watch/nBGIO48ak9/?mibextid=Nif5oz

Boston Globe Article:  By Steph Machado,                             

Amid controversies, Pawtucket could scrap elected school committee - The Boston Globe

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND                                                                                                                      

COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION                                                                                                                     

: RIDE No. 20-017 A :

Petitioner : STUDENT F. DOE, 

by his father, : David C. Fargnoli                                              

vs.

Respondent : PAWTUCKET SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, 

                                                                                            Decision and Order

Held: 

Middle School failed to: (1) make a substitute teacher aware of various classroom accommodations in a student’s Section 504 Plan, in violation of federal law; (2) properly follow-up a claim of bullying, in violation of its own Prohibition Against Bullying Policy and the Statewide Bullying Policy; and (3) include the student’s version of the relevant facts in its official report of a classroom incident that led to the student’s dismissal from school for the day for disorderly conduct, and thus the School was ordered to: (1) investigate the allegations of bullying made by F. Doe and, if appropriate, comply fully with the follow-up measures mandated under the School’s Policy and the Statewide Bullying Policy; (2) remove any reference to the disciplinary dismissal or the incident from the student’s permanent record; (3) follow its regular policy with respect to the inclusion of incident reports in other school records, and if the report is to be included; (4) afford the student an opportunity to include a written statement with his version of the facts in the report. However, the conduct of the Middle School does not, standing alone, establish sufficient grounds to grant the extraordinary remedy sought by the parent and require that the Respondent School Department place his son at a suitable private school at its expense, and no additional competent evidence in support of such a remedy was introduced.

Date: October 26, 2020

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                                                                                                            VI. Order

For all of the above reasons, Mr. Doe’s Petition on behalf of his son is hereby granted, in part:

1. Respondent, PSD, shall require that the Middle School forthwith:

(a) Investigate the allegations of bullying made by F. Doe and, if appropriate, comply fully with the School Policy and Statewide Bullying Policy and arrange for an assessment by the School psychologist and/or social worker, and develop a plan to address any bullying that has occurred, including any additional referrals to counseling or social services that may be necessary;

(b) Remove the record of the dismissal for disorderly conduct, and any description of the June 12, 2019 incident, from F. Doe’s permanent record;

(c) Follow the School’s regular policy with respect to the filing and retention of the incident reports not included in a student’s permanent record, and if the report is retained, provide F. Doe with the opportunity to supplement his written statement in the School’s official Incident Report so that his full version of the relevant details is included in the Report.

2. Mr. Doe’s request for an order mandating that the PSD place F. Doe in a private school, and pay for any costs related to such a placement, is denied.

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______________________________

ANTHONY F. COTTONE, ESQ.,

as Hearing Officer for the Commissioner

______________________________

ANGÉLICA INFANTE-GREEN,

Commissioner

Dated: October 26, 2020

 Below email Sent to all attached;

To:Joanne Bonollo,Joe Knight,Jay Charbonneau,Kim Grant,Roberto Moreno,Stephen Larbi,Erin Dube,Cheryl McWilliams,Lisa Benedetti-Ramzi,Donald Grebien,scano@pawtucketri.com, SenSandra.Cano,thomasehodge@aol.com,

ltetrealult@pawtucketri.com,

mbray@pawtucketri.com,trudd@pawtucketri.com,

tmercer@pawtucketri.com,

MJWildenhain@pawtucketri.com

Cc:D Fargnoli

Fri, Apr 8, 2022 at 9:40 PM 

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Dear Pawtucket City, elected and appointed, officials, officers and administrators, 

 My name is David Fargnoli, founder of the Parents for Improvement Movement and an administrator for the Pawtucket Parents Alliance focus group. 

I’m writing you to bring attention to the dilemma students attending the City of Pawtucket’s schools are currently facing. It was brought to the Parents for Improvement Movements attention by parents that students attending Pawtucket schools are in need of additional academic intervention and resources. These additions are needed to offer academic improvements for Pawtucket students who are either academically behind grade level or showing the effects of the PSDs initial Covid-19 distant learning instruction offered and are now are in need of additional instruction for better comprehension of the academic material that is required to properly advance in their K-12 schooling. 

 Parents of Pawtucket students state that PSD elementary school students are only receiving one hour of extra academic help a week and is being offered and only if it’s deemed that a student qualifies for such additional instruction. While there are a few special resources for reading offered to qualifying elementary school students, math intervention is almost nonexistent and the hour of additional intervention is being provided by a students’ primary teacher. Pawtucket parents understand the reasons for the academic struggles had by the PSD students after being forced to learn from a distance at home longer than any other RI Municipal school system in Rhode Island, as well as handling the stresses added upon them with the restrictions and mandates implemented by the State of Rhode Island, the City of Pawtucket and their Administrations over the last two plus years. 

 Pawtucket parents have been told that a teacher shortage is affecting the ability for PSD schools to offer additional required academic intervention and resources to our Pawtucket students. City of Pawtucket parents realize that Covid-19 has caused a teacher shortage within the PSD. It is imperative that Pawtucket students not be forced to suffer academically or be the victims for such a teacher shortage. The City of Pawtucket and the PSD is, was, and will be funded yearly whether there is a shortage of teachers, teachers aids and staff in its schools or not. In addition to Pawtucket’s yearly educational funding there was the addition of the recent Covid-19 American Rescue Act funding allocated to the State of Rhode Island, in which 58.3 million US dollars was allocated to the City of Pawtucket. 

 This relief funding was afforded by United States Federal Government so it is unacceptable for the students of Pawtucket to academically suffer due to the negative effects stemming from Covid-19 and its mandates and executive orders. These funds were allocated to handle areas affected due to Covid-19. Pawtucket students’ academic and educational progress and possibility for future success has

most definitely been affected by Covid-19. Also, the City of Pawtucket is a Title I and Title IV school district, as well as receiving millions of dollars from RIDE in a federally funded SIG grant meaning a large amount of additional federal funding has been, is and will be provided to the PSD yearly for the success of Pawtucket students and reform of PSD schools. 

  The Parents for Improvement Movement is now encouraging the City of Pawtucket to be more creative with their approach in making these requested improvements involving the immediate implementation of additional intervention and resources to all Pawtucket schools as well as handling the teacher shortage within the PSD. Possibly reassure teachers resisting a return and those who are still concerned about the effects of Covid-19 that it is safe to now return to the classroom might help. Offering a sign on bonus for new teachers entering the PSD might improve the number of available teachers willing to educate K-12 students in Pawtucket. 

 Allowing Pawtucket’s K-12 students to fall even further behind academic standards is completely unacceptable to Pawtucket parents and also to the Parents for Improvement Movement. Parents encourages the City of Pawtucket and the PSD to use some of the 58.3 million dollars of Covid-19 relief funding and put some of it into additional academic intervention and resources towards the academic advancement of Pawtucket students as well as adding the required additional teachers, teachers aids and staffing to improve the public education that is being offered by the PSD through the City of Pawtucket. The Parents for Improvement Movement believes the City of Pawtucket needs to focus less on the beautification and development of the river front but more on the actual residents and families living in, and children and students being educated in our great and historic city. 

 Please remember that these are once in a life time federal funds that were allocated to the City of Pawtucket so please do the right thing and take care of your students and cities residents which have been greatly affected by Covid-19. I personally was raised in Pawtucket, am a former student of the PSD, still live and raise my children in the City of Pawtucket. I personally have removed one child from the PSD and my other will no longer be attending the PSD after this school year due to multiple violations proven and held, during a commissioners hearing through RIDE and upheld through dual appeal to the RICOE, against the PSD, in addition to PSD administrative practices used within its school system. That said, I grew up in this city and will always stand up for the parents, guardians and the children residing within the City of Pawtucket when residents and parents bring concerning issues and sensible requests to my attention. It saddens me to see what has, and is happening to the public school system in our great city. 

Thank you for your time and for reading Pawtucket parents and the Parents for Improvement Movements concerns and position over the academic status of, and the additional intervention and resources requested for, the students in the PSD by the City of Pawtucket.

Respectfully, David Fargnoli 

Founder, 

Parents for Improvement Movement 

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From: "Cheryl McWilliams" <mcwilliamsc@psdri.net> To: "D Fargnoli"  

Cc: "Joanne Bonollo" <bonolloj@gmail.com> 

Sent: Thu, Apr 14, 2022 at 1:22 PM 

Subject: Re: Student Intervention 

Dear Mr. Fargnoli,

 As a follow up, once again, thank you for your dedication for students in the City of Pawtucket and your concern for their academic well-being. While I can't speak to the City's use of ARPA funds, I would like to take the opportunity to provide you with some details with respect to how the School Department is using ARPA/ESSER funds to address learning loss as a result of the pandemic. As we shared out at the January School Committee Meetings, we are addressing the following areas:

 Expanding scope of work in deficit content areas and special populations to include differently-abled and Multilingual learners.

 Extended Learning Opportunities and ITSS (Integrated Tiered Systems of Support (for academic, behavioral and social emotional learning/SEL)

 Expansion of SEL/ Mental Health Service

 High Quality Materials/ Evidence Based Content Interventions

 Evidence Based Tiered Supports for at risk students

 Extended learning opportunities to include after school and summer learning

 Enrichment Opportunities to include CTE and Arts Programs I hope you will convey this information to the members of the Parents for Improvement Movement.

Sincerely, 

Dr. McWilliams ~Compassion~Collaboration~Courage~ 

Cheryl McWilliams, Ed.D Superintendent Pawtucket School Department 286 Main Street Pawtucket, RI 02860

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D Fargnoli 

To:mcwilliamsc@psdri.net

Cc:Joanne Bonollo

Thu, Apr 14 at 9:51 PM 

Dear Dr. Mcwilliams, 

 Thank you for taking the time to further respond to me regarding Pawtucket parents’ concerns over the need for additional academic intervention and resources for students in the PSD. 

With all due respect Superintendent McWilliams, it appears the PSD and Pawtucket School Committees approach indicated within your two email responses target inequality within targeted student demographics rather than the future academic success of EVERY student attending PSD schools. 

It also seems rather than focusing on the addition of academic intervention and resources the PSD and Pawtucket School Committee is more concerned in the social emotional learning, SEL, of students which, in my and a large amount of parents opinion, should be implemented by parents at home. 

 It is the responsibility of parents to raise their children properly by teaching them respect, manners, to accept of all individuals equally, no matter their skin tone, race, ethnicity or gender they identify through discussion and leading by example. Of course, there are certain exceptions; some students need such individual support. The PSDs use of RIDEs, MTTS, multi-tiered system of support, approach towards students, minor age children, is intrusive, insulting and considered to be, by a large amount parents and guardians, borderline, if not straight, illegal. I'm sure you have seen and also heard there is a large movement of parents pushing back against any educational environment which attempts to undermine parental rights and responsibilities through the use of manipulation tactics. 

-Examples that PSD schools are attempting to undermine parental rights and responsibilities: 

+Schools administrators and teachers allowing young students to pick any name and any gender identity they wish to be referred to at school without a parents knowledge and permission but never allowed on official school files or documents that parents have ready access to. 

+Schools and teachers encouraging children to keep secrets from parents while empowering children to avoid key conversations with their parents that are needed in order for parents and their children to understand their development in life. 

+Newly proposed sexual education content and subject matter, which I refuse to indicate or speak on within this email that should never be discussed by teachers within any Elementary or Secondary Education school. 

 Where does this end? These seem to be things a predator would incorporate into their interactions and conversations while attempting to brain wash an individual. Your email suggest now you are offering up additional exposure to these type of environments during after school hours and summer months Many parents are aware of the direction that public schools in RI are attempting to push education by using easily manipulated data and statistics gathered through one sided surveys and evaluations which only offer answers that favor the direction desired by municipal and state school departments. 

 I personally am aware of, and have viewed the RIDE LEAP task force report and MTSS, RI BRIDGE-RI, multi-tiered system of support, sponsored by RIDE, and its practices, data and systems that lead school departments to their desired outcomes through statistics and data, as well as coaching, training and teaching municipal teachers to implement this RIDE supported MTSS approach to education now being pushed within RI municipal schools. This has been voiced as an additional area of concern to parents of PSD students and parents of public school students all over the State of Rhode Island. Students’ future and academic success should be the main focus of all schools Boards, Departments and Committees within the United States. 

Again, thank you for your additional response regarding parents academic concerns for the students in Pawtucket schools. 

Sincerely, 

David Fargnoli.

From: D Fargnoli 

Sent: Wednesday, June 1, 2022 8:30 PM

To: Open Government

Cc: D Fargnoli

Subject: Complaint against the Pawtucket School Department for denial of requested public records

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Dear RI Attorney General Open Government Unit,

 My name is David Fargnoli; I email you this evening to submit a complaint against the Pawtucket School Department due to their three denials to my ARPA request's for public records. My request for records revolve around multiple school incidents involving both of my children separately while attending school's under the PSD. My initial request was made in writing within my Letter of Intent to file a claim against the Pawtucket School Department and Pawtucket School Committee. May 23, 2022 I received an email from the Pawtucket School Department with their 1st letter stating the request was to broad to know the

precise records I was requesting also siting exclusions within RI. GEN. Laws. 38-2-2 and attaching emails not requested, involved or related to the public records being requested. 

 Please see attached below; The PSDs letter covering not providing the requested public records number one, citing a only piece of my request statement from the LOI and attaching emails unrelated to the requested records, also pages 17,18 and 20 of the Letter of Intent, citing existing evidence in my procession, also requesting any additional records involving all incidents and investigations mentioned

above and throughout the LOI to be provided as soon as practicable. I replied with emails to the PSD requesting the PSD reconsider their denial for requested public records, 1st email responding to first denial for requested public records; citing FERPA 20 U.S. Code 1232; 33 CFR Part 99 due to my son being a special needs student, a large amount of the records requested revolved around also asking the PSD to redact any minor students names and personal

information within. 2nd email responding to second denial for requested public records; specifying the exact public email records I was requesting if the previous requests were considered to broad or burdensome. 3rd and 4th emails responding to third denial for requested public records; responded to the PSDs suggesting I should have contacted school principal's for the requested emails in an, assumed, attempt to have me running in circles for public records.I did forward my email requests to the two school's principal's but received no response from either principal. 

 Please note; all public emails record's requested were either sent to or received by PSD Assistant Superintendent Lisa Ramzi making them directly available records to the PSD. All ARPA school record requests are required to be sent to the PSD

directly as cited on the PSD website.. Please see attached below; A copy of the email chain between myself and the PSD specifying what emails/records involving mentioned dated incidents, investigations and which PSD/School administrator's emails records I was requesting and the above covered. Also attached below; The PSDs 2nd letter denying requested public records, The PSDs 3rd letter denying requested public records, Signed complaint in

PFD document form. For all of the cover details in this email and within the attached files below I am requesting an investigation into my complaint against the Pawtucket School Department for violating my rights to Public as required by

them by RI. GEN. Law. 38-2-1.

Truly,

DAVID C FARGNOLI

Hello Pawtucket School Committee,

  Thank you for this time to address the Pawtucket School Committee. What I have served to you this evening is a Letter of Intent to file a claim against your Interlock Risk Management Trust Liability Insurance. For approximately three years I have been handling and communicating with the Pawtucket School Department or their school administrations over complaints involving multiple violations to both of my children while attending school within PSD schools. I hope that you have all been made aware of the facts involved in these complaints. The problem I have and as the Committee responsible for overseeing the School Department should have is that my biggest obstacle regarding these complaints has been the PSD itself and the school administration’s handling the incidents themselves. I stood in front of you in February of 2020 speaking to you, telling you about how my son was constantly being bullied, his 504 accommodation plan being violated then the PSD covering over the facts involved and then ignoring my multiple legal communications in thus offering me no Due Process in regards to that complaint. 

  Here I stand two plus years and two decisions and orders holding the PSD in violation of neglecting my sons accommodating plan and not responding or investigating multiple reports he was being bullied which violated State and Municipal laws/ policies also siting the Civil Rights Violations. My daughter was also being bullied while attending the same PSD School and as a result RIDE ordered the PSD to relocate my daughter to another PSD middle School. This September of 2021my daughter reported to multiple teachers and to the school administration that she had been a victim of sexual assault on the day which it occurred. I was not contacted directly regarding this sexual assault allegation by the PSD school administration. I was only made aware of the assault allegation by my daughter herself after returning home from school. I won’t be covering all the details involved in this situation as it is upsetting to my whole family. 

 I will say that the PSD and its school administration again mishandled the investigation by covering over the facts disclosed, refusing to continue the investigation then the PSD relocating the student to another PSD Middle School. Due to the handling of these situations to say that any trust in the PSD by my family no longer exists and my daughter receiving safety through education is under a magnified glass at all times. These are only two of the multiple complaints sited within my Letter of intent. My daughter is now being targeted and being discriminated upon by some teachers and administrators within her present PSD Middle School. At my direction my daughter now contacts me directly upon any and all issue at school no matter how small or large they may be.

I have directed her to disregard your PSD Rules and Policies regarding such communication and video use during school hours due to your lack of ability to keep her safe and your PSDs administrative practices. I hear often about school departments beliefs that parents have no say regarding what happens regarding their children’s education or the rules that apply. 

 When parents speak up and out at school administrations regarding their children’s education and rules applied parents are in control. Schools will just never speak to it, acknowledge it aloud or transparent about it. I have multiple pieces of evidence proving PSD administrators lied about facts, covered over facts, also allowing the teaching and questioning of inappropriate subjects and topics, undermining parental consent as well as holding no accountability or responsibility when violations take place. The amount of damage you have allowed to be done to my family due to the PSDs Administrative Practices resulting in the Wrongful and Harmful Acts done to my family which have violated Municipal, State and Federal Policies, Laws, Titles, Statutes, Acts, Articles, Amendments and each and every one of your Oaths of Office have led me to serve you with this Letter of Intent tonight. 

  Moving forwards any of you that were involved or aware of these actions should hang your heads in shame when in my presence. You should be ashamed of yourselves for the administrative practices used against my children, against students and parents, your agenda to indoctrinate PSD students and undermining parental consent within your PSD schools. A clean sweep of PSD Administrators should happen starting with the top brass due to these practices. I am requesting that you fire your PSD Superintendent and her Assistants and Any School Administrators that are/were involved within your PSD, Pawtucket School Corporation, immediately. Evil has no place running the educational process of the future Leaders and Workforce of our Country. That said I want to take this time to announce publicly that I, David Fargnoli, will be running for Pawtucket School Committee in this upcoming 2022 Election. You need integrity and parental loyalty within this Pawtucket School Committee. 

Good Evening,

David C. Fargnoli