Suspension of School Principal in Ladispoli Following Mismanagement of a Child with ADHD

The Regional School Office of Lazio has ordered the suspension of the school principal of the Corrado Melone institute in Ladispoli (Rome), following the request for an inspection ordered by the Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara, regarding the case of a 6-year-old child with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder who was suspended from school. In his place, the School Office has appointed a regent. The child's parents had appealed against the school's harsh sanction, several weeks of suspension, which the institute had imposed, considering the student unmanageable, and the Administrative Court (Tar) had sided with the parents, but the principal, Riccardo Agresti, did not allow the student to enter, claiming to be unaware of the Tar's ruling. The Tar's ruling in Lazio indicated that the child, who is being treated at the Gemelli, should be given a support teacher for all the necessary hours. Upon learning of the Tar's decision, the principal had allowed the student to return, but the stay at school lasted only 2 hours: "more hours of assistance are needed for the child but the medical certification is wrong and we have reported it to the parents. It is impossible to manage him and we had to call them," the principal explained. He has been suspended today. "The inspectors consulted and photocopied all the documents we had and met the support teacher who, moreover, covered 13 hours, more than expected because she volunteers for the child's benefit." Thus, Riccardo Agresti, the principal of the Ladispoli school, a few days ago, after the case erupted for a 6-year-old child suspended for 21 days and rejected from school after the Tar had ordered his return to class. Valditara today sent the inspectors. "They questioned me and asked me and the teachers for a detailed report and will return on Tuesday to also hear from the child's parents," the principal added. THE COURT The child's father, upon receiving the email with the decision, turned to a lawyer and filed an appeal with the Tar of Lazio to request the annulment of his son's suspension. Last Monday, the administrative court's response arrived and sided with the child's family: he must immediately return to school. Despite the Tar's decision, the child was not reinstated. The minister sent inspectors from the Usr to the school on March 6 to understand the reason why, despite the Tar's decision, the child had not been readmitted to school. THE APPEAL "I will appeal to the labor judge. I am certain and have faith in the inspectors who are already doing their job and who will bring out the truth." Thus, to Ansa, the principal of the institute in Ladispoli, Riccardo Agresti. "If there is a criminal complaint, my lawyer will protect me. If, on the other hand, it is just a school procedure... it is clear that someone wants me out of the school," he states, emphasizing that what is happening is "an odd and excessive persecution."