Fairfield School Administrator Who Resigned Was Accused Of Pushing Student

FAIRFIELD, CT — Mark Robinson, the former Dean of Students at Fairfield Woods Middle School, abruptly resigned last month after being accused of pushing a student, according to a letter from Superintendent Michael Testani.

In the December letter to Robinson, which Patch obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Testani scheduled a meeting with him to discuss an alleged Nov. 7 hallway incident between Robinson and the student.

"The allegations are that you and a student had a verbal interaction of some sort and this interaction resulted in you pushing the student into the lockers that are in the hall," Testani wrote. "It is my understanding that you have reviewed the video of this incident. This action on your part was entirely inappropriate and unprofessional. It further violated the school district’s Safe School Climate Policy and the Connecticut Teacher Code of Professional Responsibility, which is attached to this letter."

Testani wrote that the meeting "is to give you the opportunity to respond to these allegations and otherwise be heard with respect to the incident described above," but the district's attorney, Stephen Sedor, would be in attendance.

"Moreover, the result of this meeting may result in discipline, up to and including the termination of your employment," Testani wrote. "Therefore, you should bring union representation with you to this meeting."

Patch reached out to Mick McGarry, President of the Fairfield Education Association, the union that represented Robinson, for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.

Robinson resigned on Jan. 28 "for personal reasons," he wrote in his resignation letter.

"I have decided to explore other opportunities at this time and, therefore, am giving you this irrevocable resignation," Robinson wrote. "I understand that this resignation requires no further action of the Board of Education and is effective immediately."

At the time, the district did not give a reason for the resignation, and does not comment on personnel matters.

Fairfield Woods Middle School Principal Colleen Banick announced the same day as the resignation that Robinson would be replaced on an interim basis by Eileen Roxbee, a former principal at Sherman Elementary School.