Arrested Teacher Transferred From Jepson To Ross/Woodward

By Maya McFadden, New Haven Independent

NEW HAVEN, CT — The city’s school district has transferred former Benjamin Jepson School math teacher Thomas Fargeorge to a third-grade classroom at Ross/Woodward School — after he was put on leave and later arrested for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a 13-year-old former student.

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An internal investigation by the school district subsequently cleared Fargeorge to return to his teaching duties; his criminal case, meanwhile, is ongoing, and he has not yet entered a plea to one misdemeanor count of harmful communication with a minor.

Fargeorge’s transfer to Ross/Woodward School was included in Monday’s Board of Education information-only personnel report. The Board does not vote on staff transfers.

His transfer also comes three months after New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) reversed its decision to return Fargeorge to his Benjamin Jepson classroom in April after some Jepson families reached out to the district to share their concerns.

The next court hearing in Fargeorge’s ongoing criminal case will take place on July 23.

Reached for comment Wednesday, New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) spokesperson Justin Harmon said that Fargeorge “is cleared to return to work at the start of the coming school year. All personnel assignments or transfers are recommended to the Board of Education after a thorough review of the relevant information available to the district.”

He continued, “A staff member found to have committed misconduct would be required to complete return to work steps set forth by the district before a Board action would be possible.”

Harmon also said that all district employees have their performance and conduct monitored in accordance with applicable laws, district policies, and collective bargaining obligations.

“The district takes appropriate administrative actions if a staff member engages in repeated misconduct, which could include progressive discipline, up to and including separation,” he concluded.

Fargeorge could not be reached for comment by the publication time of this article.

The New Haven Independent is a not-for-profit public-interest daily news site founded in 2005.