Hartford Superintendent Issues Statement on Coach's Firing

HARTFORD, CT — In the wake of the firing of Bulkeley High School football coach Pablo Ortiz, Jr. late last week, acting Superintendent of Schools Leslie Torres-Rodriguez issued a statement Wednesday.

The statement, issued through Director of Communications Pedro Zayas, did not specifically mention Ortiz.

"The first priority of the Hartford Public Schools is to ensure student safety. As Acting Superintendent of Schools, I will not allow any unacceptable staff behavior during my tenure. In the unfortunate event that, despite our best efforts to the contrary, individuals engage in inappropriate interactions with students, with their families, with staff or with any of the visitors who come to our schools and events, such individuals will be dealt with swiftly in accordance with the policies established by the Hartford Board of Education.

Furthermore, we have recently provided enhanced district-wide training for employees regarding Board policy on "Reports of Suspected Abuse or Neglect of Children or Sexual Assault of Students by School Employees." I have made it the highest level of priority for district leadership and for all staff to receive this training and comply with the Board's policy. Hartford Public Schools is currently investigating allegations of possible failures in the reporting process and will comment further upon the conclusion of the investigation. In the meantime, please know that all appropriate steps are being taken to ensure the safety of our students."

Ortiz, who has been head coach since 2010 and has worked for the Department of Children and Families for 13 years, is under investigation by his employer as well as school officials, according to numerous media sources.

Photo credit: hartfordschools.org